THE SLIME MOLDS OF OHIO 
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9. DIACHAEA Fries. 
Diachaea leucopoda (Bull.) Rost. Plate III, Fig. 7. 
Sporangia distinct, stalked. Sporangium wall destitute of lime 
iridescent. Stalk and columella containing lime granules. Capillitium a 
network of delicate threads without lime, connecting the columella and 
sporangium wall. 
A. Sporangia globos. ^ 1. D. splendens 
A. Sporangia cylindrical. 2. D. leucopoda 
1. D. splendens Peck. Sporangia gregarious, globose, metallic blue, 
stalked. Sporangium wall membranous, hyaline. Stalk white, stout, 
brittle, furrowed, tapering upward from a prominent hypothallus. 
Columella cylindrical, white. Capillitium of slender anastomosing threads 
connecting the columella with the sporangium wall. Spores dark violet, 
coursely warted, 7 to 9mmm. in diam. 
(Miami Valley—Morgan), (Ohio—Macbride). 
2. D. leucopoda (Bull.) Rost. Sporangia gregarious, cylindrical, some 
times globose, 0.7mm. high, iridescent purple, stalked. Spores dull 
violet, minutely roughened, 7 to 9mmm. in diam. Closely resembling D. 
splendens except in color, shape of sporangia, and markings of spores. 
Common. 
FAMILY 2. DIDYMIACEAE 
Sporangia distinct, except in Mucilago where they are combined into 
an aethalium. Lime present in the form of crystals or crystaline discs 
which are on the surface of the sporangium. Capillitium without lime 
knots. 
KEY TO THE GENERA OF DIDYMIACEAE. 
A. Lime in the form of crystaline discs..1. Lepidoderma 
A. Lime in the form of stellate crystals. 
B, Sporangia confluent.2. Mucilago 
B. Sporangia distinct.3. Didymium 
1. LEPIDODERMA De Bary. 
Lepidoderma tigrinum (Schrad.) Rost. Plate IV, Fig. 5. 
Sporangia distinct, stalked or sessile, sometimes forming plasmodiocarps. 
Sporangium wall with crystaline discs or scales of lime on the outer surface. 
Capillitium of branching threads without lime. 
1. L. tigrinum (Schrad.) Rost. Sporangia scattered, subglobose, 
depressed, umbilicate beneath, 1mm. in diam., gray, glossy, beset with 
angular crystaline discs of lime. Sporangium wall yellowish, cartilaginous. 
Stalk stout, cylindrical, furrowed, brown. Columella hemispherical, 
orange, containing lime. Capillitium of abundant sparingly branched, 
purple threads. Spores purplish, minutely roughened, 10 to ISmmm. in 
diam. 
(Miami Valley—Morgan). (Hamilton Co.—Lloyd Herbarium). 
