46 THE NORTH AMERICAN SLIME-MOULDS 



He named two or three species only, leaving his sucessors to add 

 others as occasion offered.^ 



Rostafinski approved the good intention of Fries, but in the Mono- 

 graph, he entirely re-cast the genus as constituted by Fries; actually 

 called the species 'first cited' a typical physarum ! Would not have it 

 in the new genus at all, first or last; but instead took the second 

 species of Fries as the type and added several forms, some from the 

 Friesian list, to make up a respectable group. 



Until quite recently writers on the subject have generally approved 

 the course adopted by the Polish author. The arrangement showed 

 features of convenience, even if artificial to a degree. Perhaps we 

 gain advantage in all directions if we treat the original genus 

 Physarum as a whole, but in the key take advantage of Fries' sug- 

 gestion. We may write — 



Key to the Species of Physarum 



1. Capillitium irregularly reticulate throughout; calcic nodes various 



Physarum 



2. Capillitium more regular, especially below, furcate; nodes fusoid 



Tilmadoche 

 SECTION I. PHYSARUM 



I. Fructification not stipitate, more or less plasmodiocarpous. 



1. Peridiura simple. 



a. Calcareous deposits yellow ... 1. P. serpula 



b. Calcareous deposits reddish or orange . 2. P. lateritium 



c. Calcareous deposits white, peridium rugulose . 3. P. vernum 



2. Peridium double, 



a. Fructification flatly compressed . . 4. P. sinuosum 



b. Fructification less compressed, rounded. 



i. Outer peridium white . . . 5. P. bitectum 

 ii. Outer peridium brown or brown-tinged 



6. P. bogoriense 

 iii. Outer peridium yellow; capillitium yellow 



7. P. alpinum 



1 Fries {Sum. Veg. Scand., p. 454) described the new genus in the follow- 

 ing words: Tilmadoche. Fr. Physari spec. S. M. Peridium simplex, tener- 

 rimum {Angioridii) irregulariter rumpens. Capillitium intertexto-compactum, 

 a peridio solutum liberum, sporisque inspersis fuscis. Columella o. 



1. T. leucophaea. Fr. 



2. T. soluta. (Schum.) 



3. T. cernua. (Schum.) 



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