THE SLIME MOLDS OF OHIO 
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crust, separating from the membranous inner layer. Columella absent. 
Capillitium of a few slender branching threads. Spores dark brown, 
nearly smooth, 11 to 14mmm. in diam. 
Erie Co. (Miami Valley—Morgan). 
2. D. crustaceum Fries. Sporangia aggregated or scattered, globose, 
smooth, white, stalked or sessile, covered by a thick brittle and fragile 
crust of loosely compacted crystals. Sporangium wall membranous, 
colorless, frosted with large stellate crystals of lime. Columella small or 
obsolete. Capillitium of pale branching threads. Spores purple, strongly 
spinulose, 10 to ISmmm. in diam. 
Erie Co. 
3. D. squamulosum (A. & S.) Fr. Sporangia gregarious, subglobose, 
umbilicate below, 0.5 to 1mm. in diam., white, stalked, sessile, or plasmo- 
diocarpous, often covered with a wrinkled deciduous crust of lime crystals. 
Stalk, when present, white, furrowed, rough. Columella hemispherical, 
white or yellowish. Capillitium variable, sometimes with calyciform 
thickenings on the threads. Spores violet brown, roughened, 8 to lOmmm. 
in diam. 
Common. 
A most variable species, of which Professor Macbride in “North 
American Slime-Molds” has the following to say: “This, one of the most 
beautiful species in the whole series, is remarkable for the variations which 
it presents in the fruiting phase. These range all the way from the simplest 
and plainest kind of a plasmodiocarp with only the most delicate frosting 
of calcareous crystals up through more or less confluent sessile sporangia 
to well-deflned elegantly stipitate, globose fruits, where the lime is some¬ 
times so abundant as to form deciduous flaky scales. The hypothallus, 
sometimes entirely wanting, is sometimes well developed, even continuous, 
venulose, from stipe to stipe. The capillitium varies much in abundance 
as in color; when scanty it is colorless and in every way more delicate, 
when abundant, darker in color and sometimes with stronger thickenings.” 
Common. 
4. D. clavus (A. & S.) Rost. Sporangia scattered, disc-shaped, 0.7 to 
1mm. in diam., gray, stalked. Sporangium wall membranous, brown, 
frosted with clusters of stellate crystals of lime above, naked below. Stalk 
cylindrical, dark, furrowed. Columella absent. Capillitium abundant of 
sparingly branched delicate threads. Spores violet, nearly smooth, 6 to 
8mmm. in diam. 
Rather common. 
5. D. melanospermum (Pers.) Macbride. Sporangia gregarious, sub- 
globose, umbilicate below, 0.7 to 1mm. in diam., white or gray, stalked or 
sessile. Sporangium wall Arm, brown, frosted with stellate crystals of 
