52 ENDOSPOEEJB. [PHYSARUM. 



or greyish-violet colour, as given by Eost., Mon., p. 120, and not 

 " fusco-atra " (Sacc, Syll., p. 360). The specimen named Td. gracilmta 

 from Sowerby's Herb. (K. 1419) approaches the form 8 with stout dark 

 stalk Physarum Readeri Mass., from Melbourne (K. 500), is_tbe 

 form V, with spores 8 to 9 fi diam. The type of P. granulatum Bait, 

 fil (K. 67) is th» form y, with the Hme on the sporangium-wall in 

 sand-like granules, a not infrequent appearance in species of Phy- 

 saraceae (of. P. compressmi). P. Muscicola Pers. is referred to by 

 Persoon in Syn. Fung. 1801, p. 171, as hardly to be distinguished from 

 the somewhat larger species P. nutans ; it would therefore appear to 

 be a small form of variety ^. Tilmadoche Pini Rost., Mon., p. 128, is 

 described as similar to P. nutans, but of erect and somewhat larger 

 growth, and more robust. 



Hah. On rotten stumps, etc. — Leytonstone, Essex ; I;yme Eegis, 

 Dorset (L;B.M.28) ; y. France (Paris Herb.) ; u ^ y 8. Germany and 

 Poland (Strassb. Herb.) ; y. Italy (B. M. 435) ; y. Australia (K. 500) ; 

 /3. Tasmania (K. 1403), ISTew Zealand (K. 1243) ; and y. N. America 

 (L:B.M.28). 



20. P. ealidris Lister, in Journ. Bot. 1891, p. 258, PI. 308, 

 fig. 2. Plasmodium ? Total height 1 to 2 mm. Sporangia sub- 

 globose, stipitate, erect or somewhat inclined, scattered, 0'5 mm. 

 diam., white, rugose ; sporangium-wall membranous, colourless 

 above, with dense clusters of innate white granules ; thickened 

 and persistent at the base, partaking of the colour of the stalk. 

 Stalk subulate or equal, furrowed, 1 to 1 -5 mm. long, Q-l mm. thick, 

 red-brown, clear orange-brown in glycerine-jelly mounting, not 

 enclosing reftise matter, or rarely, at the base. Columella none. 

 Cajpillitium of colourless branching threads with numerous or few 

 white lime-knots ; very various in the same development, either 

 delicate or approaching the type of Badhamia. Spores pale 

 rownish- violet, almost smooth, 8 to 11 ;«. diam. — Didymium 

 usiUum Berk. & Curt., Grev.,ii. (1873), p. 53. Badhamiia nodu- 

 osa Mass., Mon., p. 322. 



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

 c. spore, X 600 (England). 



The specimen in Broome's Herb, named P. elephantinum Berk. & Br. 

 MS. from Ceylon (B. M. 453) is a somewhat larger form, but appears 

 to be the same species, with capiUitium and spores similar to those in 

 the English gatherings. P. nodulostim Cooke & Balf.-(B. M. 858), from 

 South Carolina, differs from the English specimens of P. ealidris only 

 in the Badhamia-like capillitium. In the Lyme Regis gatherings this 

 character is very inconstant : in one sporangium the hyahne threads 

 may be abundant, either delicate or with broad expansions, and the 

 lime-knots scattered ; in another the hyaline threads may be few, with 

 the capillitium consisting chiefly of confluent lime-knots. In the 

 sporangium examined of the Orton specimen (K. 1411) the capillitium, 

 for a great part, consists of a network of broad strands more or less 

 filled with lime, of Badhamia type ; the remainder has numerous lime- 

 knots connected by delicate hyaline threads. The type of Didymium 

 pusillum Berk. & Curt., from South Carolina (K. 1492), consists of 

 specimens on two slips of wood, on one of which are three smaU 

 sporangia of a Physarum with orange translucent stalks, no columella, 



