Lamproderma.] BRITISH MYCETOZOA. 29 



with iridescent colours. Capillitium of branching and anastomosing 

 threads radiating from the upper part of the columella. 



1. L. physaroides Rost. — Height of sporangium with the stalk 

 2 to 3 mm. ; sporangium ovoid or globose. Columella subclavate, 

 reaching to more than halt the height of the sporangium. Capil- 

 litium of purple-brown threads, straight and sparingly branched 

 below, springing from the upper half of the columella. Spores 

 purple-grey, closely spinulose, n to 14 li diam. 



A sessile form occurs without a columella. 



Hab. On fir wood. 



2. L. echinulatum Rost. — Total height 2 to 2-5 mm. Sporangia 

 globose. Columella cylindrical, obtuse, half the height of the 

 sporangium. Capillitium lax ; of nearly straight, sparingly forked, 

 black, strong threads with pale tips, springing from the upper part 

 of the columella. Spores dark grey, echinulate with black spines, 

 15 to 20 ft diam. 



Hab. On dead wood. 



3. L. arcyrionema Rost. — Total height 1 to 1-5 mm. Sporangia 

 globose, 0-5 mm. diam. Columella half the height of the sporangium, 

 slender, smooth to the apex, where it divides into the primary 

 branches of the black, crisped capillitium. Spores lilac-grey, smooth, 

 6 to 7 fx. diam. ' 



Hab. On dead wood. 



4. L. irideum Mass. — Total height 1 to 1*5 mm. Sporangia 

 globose, on setaceous stalks. Columella cylindrical, half the height 

 of the sporangium. Capillitium of rigid, dichotomously-branched, 

 blackish threads, which are colourless at the base, where they are 

 attached to the truncate apex of the columella. Spores marked with 

 minute, not crowded warts, 6-5 to 8 /x diam. 



Hab. On dead leaves. Common. 



5. L. violaceum Rost. — Total height, o-6 to 1*5 mm. Sporangia 

 subglobose on setaceous or thicker stalks. Columella one-third to 

 two-thirds the height of the sporangium. Capillitium white and 

 flaccid, or brown and dense. Spores purplish-grey or purple-brown, 

 closely spinulose, 8 to 11 11 diam. 



Var. Sauteri is a robust form ; stalks thickened below ; capil- 

 litium brown; spores 11 to 15 ti diam. 

 Hab. On sticks, dead leaves, etc. 



A variable species, sometimes resembling forms of L. irideum, 

 but distinguished by the spores. These, when highly magnified, 

 are seen to be marked with closely set, often very minute spines, 

 and not with the more distant warts characteristic of that species. 



