254 THE MYXOMYCETES 



1. Ophiotheca vermicularis (Schw.) Massee 



Mon. 134. 1892. 

 PL XVI, Figs. 423, 424, 425. 



1832. Physarum vermiculare Schw., Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. II. 4 : 257. 



1869. Ophiotheca pallida Berk. & Curt., Jour. Linn. Soc. 10 : 350. 



1873. Ophiotheca umbrina Berk. & Curt., Grev. 2 : 68. 



1873. Licea reticulata Berk. & Br., Jour. Linn. Soc. 14 : 86. 



1875. Perichcena variabilis Rost., Mon. 295. 



1875. Perichcena friesiana Rost., Mon. 296. 



1876. Perichcena vermicularis (Schw.) Rost., Mon. App. 34. 

 1876. Perichcena reticulata (Berk. & Br.) Rost., Mon. App. 35. 

 1892. Ophiotheca reticulata (Berk. & Br.) Massee, Mon. 133. 



Plasmodiocarp very slender, terete, elongate, flexuous, reticulate or 

 annular, dull gray, yellowish or of neutral tint; peridium thin, trans- 

 lucent, but with a delicate granular outer coating; capillitium of slender 

 threads, frequently branched, warted and usually minutely spinulose; 

 spore-mass ochraceous yellow; spores by transmitted light pale yellow, 

 minutely roughened, 10-14 fx. 



Perhaps common, but seldom collected, probably overlooked on 

 account of protective coloration; the color is about that of the habitat, 

 the weathered surface of dead herbaceous stems and roots. Not in- 

 frequent on dead corn stalks. Differs from other species of the genus 

 in having smoother capillitium, for which reason Rostafinski calls the 

 present species Perichcena vermicularis. 



New England, New Jersey, South Carolina, Ontario, Ohio, Iowa, 

 Colorado, Oregon, Bolivia. North temperate regions generally, also 

 Ceylon, Malay Peninsula, Southern Nigeria. 



2. Ophiotheca chrysosperma Currey 



Quart. Jour. Micr. Soc. 2 : 240. 1854. 

 PL XVI, Figs. 426, 427, 428. 



1867. Trichia curreyi Crouan, Fl. Finist. 16. 



1875. Cornuvia circumscissa (Walk.) Rost., Mon. 290. 



1881. Hemiarcyria melanopeziza Speg., Ann. Soc. Cient. Argent. 10 : 257. 



1892. Ophiotheca circumscissa (Wallr.) Massee, Mon. 131. 



1894. Perichcena chrysosperma (Currey) List., Mycetozoa 196. 



1904. Perichcena variabilis Rost. var. pedata List., Jour. Bot. 42 : 139. 



1911. Perichcena corticalis (Batsch) Rost. var. affinis List., Mycetozoa ed. 2. 

 251. 



Plasmodiocarp elongate, bent and curved in various ways, some- 

 times spherical and stalked, often annular or even reticulate, yellowish 

 or ochraceous brown, opening irregularly; peridium thin, with yellowish 

 outer layer; capillitium rather abundant, of slender threads, sparingly 



