136 ENDOSPOREAE [DIDYMIUM 



This species was obtained by Dr. A. Moller at Blumenau, Brazil. 

 It is allied to D. squamulosum, from which it is distinguished by the 

 shape of the sporangia and the markings of the spores ; the latter 

 closely resemble those of Mucilago spongiosa var. dictyospora in both 

 colour and reticulation. 



Hob. On herbaceous stems. — Blumenau, Brazil (B.M. 1770). 



13. D. crustaceura Fries Syst. Myc, iii. 124 (1829). 

 Plasmodium white. Sporangia globose, confluent, aggregated 

 or scattered, shortly stalked or sessile, 0-7 to 2 mm. diam., 

 smooth and white from the thick fragile deciduous crust of 

 loosely compacted crystals of lime in which they are enclosed ; 

 when the crust has fallen away the sporangia appear 

 reniform or hemispherical and grey ; sporangium-wall mem- 

 branous, colourless, clothed with large stellate crystals of 

 lime. Stalks pale buff, 0*2 to 0-4 mm. high, membranous, 

 eight or ten often clustered together on an expansion 

 of the membranous hypothallus, at first concealed under the 

 crust of lime enclosing the sporangia. Columella small, 

 irregular, depressed, scarcely evident in the sessile forms, 

 white or pale buff, more or less charged with nodules of lime. 

 Capillitium consisting of colourless or pale violet branching 

 threads 0-5 to 1 yu, diam., often with minute fusiform 

 thickenings. Spores purplish-grey, strongly spinulose, 10 to 

 13 p, diam. — Rost. Mon., App. p. 22 ; Macbr. N. Am. Slime- 

 Moulds, 86. D. confluens Rost. Mon., p. 164 (1875) ; 

 Mass. Mon., 235. 



PI. 111. — a. sporangia (Devon) ; b. cluster of sporangia from which the outer 

 crust of lime has fallen away ; they arise from a common hypothallus, in one the wall 

 and capillitium are gone and the columella is exposed ; c. capillitium and spores with 

 crystals from the outer crust, also a portion of the columella with three nodules of 

 lime ; d. spores. 



This species does not appear to be common ; it has been found in 

 Devon, Dorset and Hants, North Wales and Poland ; Rostaflnski refers 

 to gatherings from France, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Finland and 

 San Domingo; Prof. Macbride finds it in Iowa, U.S.A. It is closely 

 allied on the one hand to D. squamulosum and on the other to 

 Mucilago spongiosa. -The nomenclature given by Rostaflnski of earlier 

 date than that of Fries is very uncertain, and may apply equally well or 

 better to other species. 



Hah. On dead leaves and grass.— Near Lyme Regis, Dorset (B.M. 

 1354); North Wales (B.M. 3195); Poland (B.M. 1353). 



14. D. leoninum Berk. & Br. in Journ. Linn. Soc, xiv. 

 83 (1873). Plasmodium orange-red. Sporangia gregarious, 

 stalked, subglobose, 0*6 to 0-7 mm. diam., either dark purplish- 

 brown and glossy, broadly veined with white or buff deposits 

 of lime, or pale all over from being completely clothed with 

 lime crystals ; sporangium-wall at length breaking up into 

 fragments, cartilaginous, chestnut-brown with thinner yellow 

 lines of dehiscence (when seen by transmitted light) ; crystals 



