8 
OHIO BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
CLASS 11 . ACRASIEAE 
Dictyostelium sp. (diagrammatic). Plate X, Figs. 7, 7a, and 7b. 
Saprophytic; vegetative stage of incompletely fused cells, amoeboid 
in character, never ciliated. At maturity these cells collect and form into 
masses of spores which are not enclosed by a sporangium wall. Each cell 
may produce a spore when the spore mass will be sessile (Acrasia) or the 
cells may pile up and the lower central ones form a vesicular stalk upon 
which the remainder of the cells creep and produce a cylindrical mass of 
spores (Dictyostelium). 
CLASS III. MYXOMYCETAE 
Saprophytic; vegetative stage a plasmodium of completely fused cells 
which at maturity produces numerous spores either free or in sporangia. 
SUB CLASS 1 . CERATIOMYXEAE 
Spores white, stalked, developed superficially upon erect branching 
sporophores. A single genus including but one quiet variable species. 
CERATIOMYXA. Schroeter 
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Muell) Macbr. Plate IV, Figs. 6, 6a, and 6b. 
Sporophores white, membranous, branching, the surface divided into 
areolae from the center of each of which a pedicle arises bearing a single 
white ovoid spore. 
C. fruticulosa (Muell.) Macbr. Characters of the genus. A most 
variable species. 
Common everywhere on rotten wood and sticks. 
SUB-CLASS 11 . MYXOGASTERAE 
Spores in a sporangium with wall. Capillitium usually present in the 
sporangia and scattered among the threads of this capillitium are the 
spores. Lime is present in the members of the first order either as micro¬ 
scopic granules or crystals. Sporangia may be distinct or combined into 
aethalia. 
ORDER 1 . PHYSARALES 
Lime present either as small round granules found in any part of the 
sporangium or as crystals on the surface of the sporangium. 
FAMILY 1 . PHYSARACEAE 
Sporangia distinct, plasmodiocarpous, or combined into an aethalium. 
Lime present as small round granules found in the sporangium wall or in 
the capillitium; in Diachaea the lime is found in the stalk and columella 
only. 
