338 THALLOPHYTES 
structures, varying in shape according to the species, the remain- 
ing protoplasm of the plasmodium passes until they are filled. 
Often nearly the entire plasmodium is used in forming and filling 
Fic. 290. — Various Myxomycetes, showing various types of sporangia. 
The large sporangium at. the left and the third one from the left, below, have 
shed the spores, and the capillitium, the lace-like framework of the sporangium, 
is plainly visible. The larger ones are larger than natural size, the smaller 
ones are reduced. From Kerner. 
the projections. The protoplasm filling the upper part of each 
projection forms numerous, small, globular spores with heavy 
ee Ig 4 
Fia. 291. — Spores of a Myxomycete germinating and producing motile 
animal-like bodies which usually multiply and later fuse to form a plasmo- 
dium. Much enlarged. From Woronin. 
walls, and thus the projection becomes a stalked sporangium 
(Fig. 289). In the interior of the sporangium there is often a 
lace-like framework, called capillitium, which assists through its 
hygroscopic movements in the shedding of the spores (Fig. 290). 
