W. C. Sturgis — Type- Specimens of Myxomycetes. 469 



Sporangia stipitate, globose, slightly umbilicate beneath, 0.4-0.5""™ 

 in diameter. Wall membranous, grey, hyaline, rugose with clusters 

 of reddish-orange lime-granules. Stalk slender, terete, sulcate, ei'ect 

 or curved, twice the height of the sporangium, reddish-orange, 

 charged throughout with lime, rising from a small, concolorous hypo- 

 thallus. Columella small, conical. Capillitium delicate, persistent, 

 hyaline. Lime-knots small, triangular, rounded, or fusiform, reddish- 

 orange. Spores pale violet-brown, V.o-O/x in diameter, almost 

 smooth. Hab. On moss, growing on decayed wood. 



The distinction between this species and P. psittacinum., Ditm., to 

 Avhich it bears a certain external resemblance, is admirably pointed 

 out by Macbride (1. c, p. 51). 



A comparison between the above description and that given by 

 Lister of P. pulchripes, Pk. (1, c, p. 41), makes it evident that the 

 latter must have been made from an authentic specimen at least, and 

 when Lister states that he has examined a type-specimen of Didy- 

 mium Pavenelii, B. & C, and that it is identical with Peck's 

 species, it seems impossible to follow Macbride in regarding them as 

 distinct. If they are the same, then assuredly Macbride is mistaken 

 in making Physarum rmirim<m, List, synonymous with Didymium 

 JRavenelii, B. & C, if color counts for anything. As to the proper 

 name for Peck's species. Lister, in retaining Peck's name (with a slight 

 change in the orthography), seems to have overlooked the fact that 

 Albertini and Schweinitz (Consp. Fung., p. 94), described as vai*. 

 rvfipes of Physarum aurantium, (Bull.) Pers., a form, the description 

 of which might possibly apply to the species under consideration. The 

 description, however, though long, is not sufficiently exact in detail 

 to enable us to determine what species the authors had under consid- 

 eration. They suggest that it may be worthy of specific rank and 

 Fries accords it this position under the name Dlderma riijipes, Fr. 

 (Syst. Myc. Ill, p. 101). All we can say is that these authors 

 described a form very similar to Physarum, aurantiam (Bull.) Pers. 

 {Tihnadoche miitabilis, Rost.), but differing in the color of the stalk, 

 which is described as "ex auranUo rvfiy Upon this basis Macbride 

 rehabilitates the variety, accords it specific rank, and gives Phy- 

 sarum pulchripjes, Pk., as a synonj^m. A safer course, and one less 

 liable to lead to confusion, seems to be that adopted by Lister, by 

 which the name P. pxdchripes is retained as representing a distinct 

 species concerning which there can be no doubt. It would, however, 

 seem jjermissible, and possibly desirable, to retain the specific name 

 Mavenelii, as being both the original name applied to the species 



