186 THE MYXOMYCETES OF PICTOU COUNTY. MOORE. 



10. Leocarpus fragilis (Dickson) Host. 'Sporangia obovoid, 

 1.8 mm long, .9 mm broad, shining, brown in color. Peridium 

 double, stipe very weak, straw colored, not supporting the spor- 

 angia which generally lie on the substratum anchored by tdie 

 weak, thread-like stipes. Capillitium forming a net the terminal 

 branches united with the inner peridium. The net consists 

 partly of hyaline tubules somewhat expanded at the nodes and 

 partly of broader, more expanded tubules packed with dark 

 colored lime granules. Spores violet colored by transmitted 

 light, spinulose, 12 14ft in diameter. 



On decaying Abies balsamea^ moss, leaves, etc. 



In all of my collections the sporangia are numerous and 

 crowded. 



Family, DIDYMIE^. 



Characterized among the Physaracese by the calcareous 

 deposits being confined to the peridium. The family is repre- 

 sented in my collections by but two species, the first of which 

 appears to be one of our commonest Myxomycetes. 



Genus, Didymium (Schrad) Fr. 



Fruit bodies separate sporangia or plasmodiocarps. Peri- 

 dium simple or double, the outer wall covered more or less 

 completely with lime crystals which generally lie loosely upon 

 it or more rarely are united into a firm crust. Columella want- 

 ing or present and hemispherical or disc shaped. Capillitium 

 filamentous, free from lime. 



11. Didymium melanospermum (Pers.) Macbr. Spor- 

 angia gregarious covering areas of several square centimetres 

 in extent ; light ashen grey or almost white in color ; depressed 

 hemispherical deeply umbilicate below, stipulate, about .75 mm 

 in diameter. Columella hemispherical. Stipe black, short, 

 stout below tapering upward, one-sixth of a millimetre or less 

 in height, the sporangia in fact sometimes apparently sessile. 

 Peridium thickly frosted with stellate lime crystals. Hypothal- 



