PHTSAEUM.] PHYSAEACEiE. 43 



Spores violet-brown, almost smooth, 7 to 8 /x diam. — Rost. in 

 Fuckel Symb. Myc, Nachtr., 2, p. 71. P. Schumacheri, Sprang. 

 Sys. Veg., iv., p. 528; Rost., Mon., p. 98, App., p. 6; Cooke, 

 Myx. Brit., p. 11 ; Mass., Mon., p. 275. P. Leveillei Rost., Mon., 

 App., p. 7 ; Mass, Mon., p. 296. 



Plate VIII., B.— a. sporangia, x 20 : J. capillitium and spores, x 280 ; 

 c. spore, X 600 (England) ; d. sporangium showing columella, x 20 (Ger- 

 many, Strassburg Herb.). 



P. Kalclibrenneri Mass., from the Cape (K. 347), is allied to P. cit- 

 rlnum, differing chiefly in the capillitium, which approaches that of 

 Badhamia ; the nodes are irregularly expanded, bright yellow, and 

 counected by more or less hyaline strands, 2 to 5 /i broad ; columella 

 none, spores 8 to 10 ju. Rostaflnski separates P. Schumacheri, vars. 

 j3 and y, Mod., p. 99, and places them in his Appendix under the name 

 of P. Leveillei ; the type specimen of var. /3 from Freiburg in the 

 Strassburg collection is a large form of P. citrimim, but is fully 

 equalled by the English gathering figured ; the spores measure 8 to 

 9 fi. ; the type of var. y from Munster is a very different form, and ' 

 appears to be more nearly allied to P. ruhiginosum. The specimen 

 from Venezuela in the Kew collection, marked by Rostaflnski P. Leveillei 

 var. /3, has a longer stalk than the typical P. citrinum, a more lax 

 capillitium, and the spores measure 10 fi, but it can scarcely be viewed 

 as a distinct species. 



Hah. On dead wood, moss, etc. — Bedfordshire (L:B.M.16) ; Germany 

 (Strassb. Herb) ; Freiburg (L:B.M.16 ; Venezuela (K. 1261). 



7. P. variabile Rex, inProc. Acad. Nat. So. Phil., 1893, p. 371. 

 Plasmodium? Total height about 1 mm. Sporangia piriform, 

 ovoid, or subglobose, 0'4 to 0-5 mm. broad, stalked or sessile, 

 rugose, somewhat glossy, yellowish olive ; sporangium-wall mem- 

 branous, with dense innate deposits of yellowish lime-granules. 

 Stalk stout, conical, furrowed, 0-4 mm. high or less, yeUowish- 

 brown, densely charged with white lime-granules. Columella 

 none. Capillitium a close network of delicate hyaline threads 

 with membranous expansions at the axils of the branches ; Ume- 

 knots numerous, irregularly branching, many large and confluent, 

 white or pale yellow. Spores brownish-violet, spinulose, 9 to 12 /a 

 diam. 



Plate IX., A. — a. sporangia, * 20 ; J. broken stalk showing lime ; c. capil- 

 litium, with fragment of sporangiirni-wall and spores, x 280 ; d. spore, 

 X 6C0 (United States). 



Hah. On dead wood.— Iowa (B.M. 812) ; New York (L:B.M.17) ; 

 Venezuela (L:B.M.17). 



8. P. melleum Mass., Mon., p. 278 (1892). Plasmodium? 

 Total height 0"8 mm. Sporangia globose, stipitate, erect, brown- 

 ish-yellow, 0'5 /A diam..; sporangium-wall membranous, often 

 wrinkled, persistent at the base, yellowish, with minute coloured 

 lime granules sparsely distributed. Stalk white or faintly buff 

 coloured, stout, opaque, with few shallow furrows, chalky in 

 section. ' Columella short, conical. Capillitium of irregularly- 

 branching delicate hyaline threads,, sometimes expanded at the 



