246 THE MYXOMYCETES 



peridium. This consists of an intricate network of irregular gelatinous 

 tubules enclosing within the meshes protoplasmic masses of pretty 

 uniform size, 60-100 /jl. Outwardly the protoplasmic vesicles predom- 

 inate; inwardly the gelatinous tubules, which are, in some instances at 

 least, continued toward the center of fructification to form the pseudo- 

 capillitium. The protoplasmic masses referred to respond to ordinary 

 stains and are often broken into numberless small cells corresponding 

 in size and appearance to ordinary spores. 



Not common but widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, 

 also reported from South America, South Africa and China. L. repletum 

 Morg. seems to be merely an unusually large flat development of this 

 species, with numerous short, free tubules. The type specimen is much 

 broken, but so far as can be determined it differs in no significant re- 

 spect from a typical representative of the present species. 



Var. argentea Brandza, Ann. Sc. Univ. Jassy 7, 1914, is a very large 

 form, said to attain the size of a large potato, arises from a brick-red 

 Plasmodium and is characterized by a silvery white peridium with both 

 the pseudocapillitium characteristic of the genus and a fine, filamen- 

 tous, branching and anastomosing true capillitium. Known only from 

 Rumania, and rare there. It needs further study. 



4. Lycogala conicum Pers. 



Syn. Meth. Fung. 159. 1801. 

 PL XVI, Figs. 410, 411. 



1873. Lycogala nitidum Berk. & Br., Jour. Linn. Soc. 14 : 81. 

 1873. Lycogala atropurpureum Berk. & Br., Jour. Linn. Soc. 14 : 82. 

 1875. Dermodium conicum (Pers.) Rost., Mon. 284. 



iEthalia scattered, sometimes two or three together, small, 2-4 mm. 

 high, conical, sessile, pallid, grayish brown, marked by obscure black 

 reticulations, opening regularly at the somewhat acuminate tip; 

 peridium thin in structure, as in L. epidendrum, but more delicate; 

 capillitium made up of abundant, slender, uniform threads almost 

 smooth, simple, the free ends obtuse, taking origin in the cortex much 

 as in L. exiguum; spores in mass ochraceous, by transmitted light 

 colorless, minutely warted or faintly subreticulate, about 5 /x. 



A very distinct and rare little species. Well described by Persoon, 

 who also appears to have observed the plasmodium "primo rubra." 

 The color of the mature form varies with age; at first somewhat pur- 

 plish. 



Rare. Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, West Indies; 

 Europe, Ceylon, Japan. 



