The Myxomycetes of the Miami Valley, OhioMorgan, A. P. (Andrew Price)
Science
The Myxomycetes of the Miami Valley, Ohio
Morgan, A. P. (Andrew Price)
Myxomycetes -- Ohio -- Miami River Valley
1. CIENKOWSKIA RETICULATA, A. & S. Plasmodiocarp more or less elongated,
curved and flexuous, simple or branched, sometimes confluent and
reticulate, breaking away first along the upper surface, leaving an
irregular margin. The wall a firm yellow membrane, with thinner hyaline
areas and with thicker yellow-brown or red-brown spots; the outer
surface without any lime, smooth, and shining; the inner surface with a
dense layer of yellow granules raised at intervals into transverse
ridges, these are connected with broad thin flat plates of lime which
traverse the capillitium, forming imperfect septa to the sporangium.
Capillitium consisting of slender yellow tubules, forming a network of
irregular meshes, with slight expansions at the angles and bearing along
the sides short pointed or uncinate free branchlets; the tubules
containing a few scattered yellow nodules of lime various in size and
shape. Spores globose, very minutely warted, violaceous, 8-10 mic. in
diameter.
Growing on old wood, bark, leaves, etc. Plasmodiocarp in veins .3-.5 mm.
in thickness, sometimes forming a net-work a centimeter or more in
extent. This curious Myxomyces seems very rare in America. I have met
with it but once. The specimen in the herbarium of Schweinitz, marked
_Physarum reticulatum_, is not this species, though it answers well
enough to the original description.
III. LEOCARPUS, Link. Sporangia subglobose or obovoid, stipitate or
sessile; the wall a more or less thickened membrane, the external
surface destitute of lime, polished and shining, irregularly dehiscent.
Stipe short, poorly developed or sometimes wanting. Capillitium of
slender tubules, forming an irregular net-work more or less expanded at
the angles; the tubules enlarging at intervals into vesicles, which
usually contain nodules of lime. Spores globose, violaceous.
A genus characterized by the form of the sporangia and the smooth and
glossy surface of the wall.
1. LEOCARPUS PSITTACINUS, Ditm. Sporangium small globose or somewhat
depressed, stipitate or subsessile; the wall a thin membrane, rugulose
and iridescent, with thicker red or yellow spots and patches, destitute
of lime. Stipe weak, erect or inclined, variable in length, the base
expanded, orange to red in color. Capillitium a dense net-work of
tubules, widely expanded at the angles and bearing numerous irregular
vesicles, various in size and form, yellow or orange to red in color.
Spores globose, even, dark violaceous, 7-9 mic. in diameter.
Growing on old wood, leaves, etc. The sporangium .5-.6 mm. in diameter,
the stipe about the same length or sometimes very short. The sporangia
are dull brownish to the naked eye, but when magnified the green,
purple, and blue metallic tints of the wall become apparent. There does
not appear to be any granules of lime either on the wall or in the
capillitium. _Physarum psittacinum_ Ditm.
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