diachaea] physaraceae 121 



5. D. Thomasii Rex in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., 1892, 

 329. Plasmodium rich yellow. Sporangia globose, shortly 

 stalked or sessile, scattered or crowded on a common orange 

 hypothallus, 0*6 to 0*7 mm. diam., iridescent, copper-coloured 

 or violet-blue ; sporangium-wall membranous, hyaline. Stalk 

 short, stout, rich orange, densely charged with orange lime- 

 granules, continued above into the conical or shortly cylin- 

 drical columella. Capillitium radiating from all parts of the 

 columella, composed of rather rigid violet-brown threads, 

 branching and anastomosing, tapering to the hyaline 

 extremities. Spores grey with yellow contents resulting in an 

 olive-coloured effect, marked with small scattered warts, and 

 four to eight prominences, each of which a high magnifying 

 power resolves into a compact cluster of minute warts, 

 9 to 11 //. diam. — Macbr. N. Am. Slime-Moulds, 136. 



PL 101. — a. sporangia ; b. capillitium and spores ; c. spore ; (N. Carolina). 

 Hab. On dead bark and moss. — Cranberry, North Carolina (B.M. 

 1323) ; Tennessee (B.M. 2459). 



6. D. cylindrica Bilgram m Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil.. 

 1905, 524. Plasmodium ? Sporangia gregarious or clustered, 

 cylindrical, sessile, 1 to VI mm. high, 05 to 0*65 mm. thick, 

 shining iridescent-bronze or steel-grey ; sporangium-wall 

 membranous, colourless, at length breaking away in large 

 flakes. Columella pale brown, membranous, slender, extending 

 nearly to the apex of the sporangium, or discontinuous and 

 breaking up into irregular branching strands. Capillitium 

 consisting of branched and anastomosing purplish-brown 

 threads, spreading from all parts of the columella, slender and 

 colourless at the tips. Spores purplish-grey, 11 to 12 /a diam., 

 reticulated as in D. subsessilis with rows of minute spines. 



PI. 103. — a. sporangia (Philadelphia) ; b. sporangium after dispersion of spores : 

 c. capillitium and spores ; d. e. spores. 



This species was first gathered by Dr. Rackstraw, in Fairraount 

 Park, Philadelphia ; several years later it was found again at a 

 spot about nine miles distant, by Mr. Hugo Bilgram. It closely 

 resembles D. caespitosa, from which it differs in having reticulated 

 spores. 



Hab. On dead leaves and twigs. — Philadelphia (B.M. 2460). 



7. D. caespitosa Lister in Journ. Bot., xlv. 186 (1907). 

 Plasmodium ? Sporangia in clusters of six to twenty, cylin- 

 drical or clavate- cylindrical, sessile or shortly stalked, 0*7 to 

 1-5 mm. high, 0*5 mm. thick, iridescent blue or bronze ; sporan- 

 gium-wall membranous, colourless, soon breaking away above, 

 more persistent below. Stalk slender, dark brown, 0*1 mm. 

 high, not enclosing lime-granules, arising from a yellowish 

 membranous hypothallus. Columella a slender, membranous 

 wrinkled tube, brown below, yellowish above, reaching to 



