The Myxomycetes of Eastern Iowa. 127 



19. Lycogala epidendrum, Biixbaum. Plate III, Figs, i, 

 la and i3. 



y^thalia gregarious, sometimes closely packed together, a 

 centimeter more or less in diameter, opening irregularly at 

 the apex. The outer peridial wall ashen or fuscous, usually 

 with a flush, minutely roughened. Spores and capillitium 

 varicolored, rosy, purplish, ashen, clay-colored, etc., at length 

 fading. Spores .003-.006, smooth. 



This species and the next are the "puff-balls" of the group. 

 The general resemblance to the smaller forms of the gaster- 

 omycetes is remarkably close. The outer covering, the 

 abundant dusty spores, the persistent floccose capillitium, all 

 combine to deceive the inexperienced collector. Nevertheless 

 there are no hyphas here. The plasmodium of the species 

 named spends the period of vegetation among and between 

 the cells of decaying wood of various sorts, at length to 

 emerge in rouge-colored or scarlet masses as large as peas or 

 larger, which are gradually transformed into dessicated sacs 

 of powdery spores. The peridia when old are exceedingly 

 brittle, and break in every direction, but normally discharge 

 the spores through a cleft apex. The capillitium is very 

 curious, made up of irregulary branching and anastomosing 

 plates, with numerous free ends and slender twig-like append- 

 ages, all roughened by scattered papillae. The spores are 

 among the smallest, in mass often brightly tinted epecially 

 when fresh, smooth and colorless under the lens, are often 

 not dispersed for months after development. L. epidendrtwt 

 is world-wide in distribution, exceedingly common at all 

 seasons, although developing fruit only in the summer, — July 

 to September. Found most commonly on apple and linden 

 stumps and fallen stems. 



20. Lycogala flavo-fuscum, Ehr enter g. Plate III, Fig. 2. 



^thalia resting for the most part upon a well developed 

 hypothallus, large, spherical or piriform, sometimes pendent. 



