The Myxomycetes of Eastern Iowa. 121 



perhaps over-looked by virtue of its protective coloration. 

 Found sometimes on the inner side of the bark where the latter 

 has separated but not yet wholly parted company with the 

 wood. In such situations the tiny sporangia are so nearly 

 quite the color of the moist substratum as to escape all but 

 the closest scrutiny. The dehiscence is very remarkable, char- 

 acteristic, beautiful. Black, brown, chestnut and gold are 

 harmoniously blended, in the opening coffers. Prior to matur- 

 ity the future line of fission is plainly indicated by the differ- 

 ence in color. 



B. ArcyriecB. 

 OLIGONEMA, Rostafinski. 



Sporangia sessile crowded. Peridia simple, opening irreg- 

 ulary. Capillitium tubes free, simple or little branched, plain 

 or adorned with a few scattering rings. Spores yellow. 



10. OLiGONEiMA NiTENs, Libert. Plate II, Figs. 8, S<7 and 83. 



Sporangia very small, sessile or gathered in heaps. Peridial 

 walls gilvous, glistening, breaking irregularly at maturity. 

 Capillitium tubes (elaters) free, irregular, sometimes short 

 and simple, sometimes branching, blunt at each end, the walls 

 furnished here and there with annular thickenings. Spores 

 yellow, spherical, covered with reticulate thickenings, in diam- 

 eter about .012. On moss, sometimes escaped to twigs and 

 leaves. 



The brilliant 3"ellow of this species leaves it without a rival 

 here. In fact as to color its only rivals are other species of 

 the genus, Oligoncma Jlavidnni, Pk., for example which dif- 

 fers from O, nitens in the more strongly developed capillitium, 

 the tubes of which carry no annular rings, but show their 

 Trichia relationship by faint spiral threads rather closely 

 wound. In O. niieiis the spores are more varied both in 

 sculpture and size. Plasmodia small, hardly a centimeter, at 

 most, in our material. 



