240 THE NORTH AMERICAN SLIME-MOULDS 



B. Sporangia more or less polygonal in outline, or round, depressed ; dehis- 

 cence circumscissile 2. Perich^ena 



1. Ophiotheca Currey. 

 1869. Ophiotheca pallida Berk. & C, Jour. Linn. Soc, X., p. 350. 

 Fructification generally plasmodiocarpous, terete, bent or flexuous, 

 often annular or cornuate, rarely globose, opening irregularly, perid- 

 ium thin, not polished, covered more or less strongly with a distinct 

 layer of scales or granules; capillitium of slender, loosely branching 

 filaments, the surface rough to strongly spinulose; spores yellow. 



As a generic name Ophiotheca plainly has priority. Cornuvia as 

 understood by Rostafin^ki has no representative so far in our region. 



Key to the Species of Ophiotheca 



A. Plasmodiocarp usually upon herbaceous stems, slender, 



1. O. vermicularis 



B. Plasmodiocarp on rotting bark, logs, etc, 



a. Pale brownish or yellowish . . . , 2. O. chrysosperma 



b. Chestnut brown or blackish 3. O. lurightii 



1. Ophiotheca vermicularis (Schw.) Macbr. 



1834. Physarum vermicularis Schw., N. A. F., No. 2296. 



1869. Ophiotheca pallida Berk, & C, Jour. Lin. Soc, X., p. 350. 



1873. Ophiotheca umbrina Berk. & C. Grev., II., p. 88. 



1876. Perichaena pallida (Schw.) Rost., Mon. A pp., p. 34. 



Plasmodiocarp very slender, terete, elongate, flexuous or reticu- 

 late, annular, etc., of dull gray or neutral tint; the peridium thin, 

 translucent, but with a delicate granular outer coating; capilli- 

 tium of slender threads, frequently branched, warted and usually 

 minutely spinulose ; spore-mass ochraceous yellow ; spores by transmit- 

 ted light pale yellow, minutely roughened, 10 [x. 



Perhaps common, but seldom collected, probably overlooked on ac- 

 count of protective coloration ; the color is about that of the habitat, the 

 weathered surface of dead herbaceous stems and roots. On dead corn 

 stalks not infrequent. Differs from other species of the genus in hav- 

 ing smoother capillitium, for which reason Rostafinski calls the 

 present species Perichaena vermicularis. O. pallida Berk. & C. seems 

 to us to be the same thing, N. A. F., 726. 



New England, New Jersey, South Carolina, Ontario, Ohio, Iowa. 



