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cing irregularly or in a stellate manner; inner wall, when
present, very thin, containing no lime, often iridescent; columella
present or absent; threads of capillitmm thin, without
lime; either spaidngly bifurcating, or branching and anastomosing
to form a more or less dense net.
Ghondriodei-ma, Eost., Mon., p. 167; Cooke, Brit. Myx., p. 36;
Schroeter, p. 123; Saoc., Syll., v., 7, pt. I, p. 362.
The characteristics of the present genus are, a well-developed
capillitium not containing lime, and the outer wall highly
charged with lime, externally perfectly smooth and poroelain-
like. Closely allied to Bidymium; in fact so closely allied, that
leaving out imaginary or book distinctions, the only point of
difference consists in the outer surface of the wall in Bidymium
never being porcelain-like, but always more or less granular
or pulverulent. Such a division is convenient from the systematic
point of view, as to whether it is of generic value or not
is a question that cannot perhaps be decided in the present
state of knowledge as to what constitutes affinity in the
Myxogastres. The space between the outer and inner wall I
do not find sufficiently constant to adopt as part of the generic
character, its presence depends on the contraction of the spore
forming mass of protoplasm, due to expulsion of water after
the outer calcareous wall has become rigid; in G. sublateritium,
the contraction of the inner spore-mass takes place before the
outer calcareous wall becomes rigid, hence the latter also
collapses and becomes normally umbilicate above. The same
condition of things may sometimes be met with in species that
usually have a space between the two walls.
Bistrih. Temperate and tropical regions; most abundant in
the former. Species 34.
Sub-Gen. Leangium. Spm-angium splitting in a stellate manner.
A. Columella present.
Chondrioderma floriforme, Eost. (figs. 58, 59).
Gregarious, springing from a well-developed hypothallus;
sporangia broadly obovate, stipitate, yellowish-brown, dehiscing
Chondi •iode?'ma. 199
in a stellate manner," the lobes becoming reflexed; stem longer
than height of sporangium, equal, minutely longitudinally
rugulose, erect, colour of sporangium; columella clavate, stipitate,
nigulose above, pale brown or oohraceous; mass of spores blackish
with purple tin g e ; threads of capillitium brownish-purple, 3 g
thick, branching at acute angles and combining laterally to
form an irregular network, furnished with irregular thickenings ;
spores globose, dingy violet, with a few rather large conical warts,
10—12 g diameter.
Ghondrioderma floriforme, Eost., Mon., p. 184 (excl. syn.
Biderma eoneinnum, B. and Br., added by Rostafinski in Mon.
Append.); Cooke, Brit. Myx., p. 41; Saoc., Syll., n. 1285 (excl.
syn. Biderma eoneinnum, B. and Br.); Raunk., p. 84.
Exsicc.—Ellis, N. Amer. Fung., 1121; in Fuckel, Fung.
Rhen., 2496, the specimen agrees in every respect with the
above description except that the spores are almost smooth.
Rostafinski describes the spores as having scattered spines,
which is translated by Cooke, Myx. Brit., p. 41, as “ rarely
spinulose,” and the description in Saocardo’s “ Sylloge ” is a
translation of Cooke’s version, hence incorrect.
On decaying wood. Britain (Queen’s Cottage Wood, Kew ;
Grace Dieu, Leicester); Germany; France; Denmark; United
States.
About 2'5 mm. high, sporangia polished, wall th ic k ; superficially
resembling some stipitate forms of Lepidoderma radiatum
before dehiscence, but the latter is distinguished by the stem
being much attenuated towards the base.
(Rostafinski’s Synonyms.)
Sphaeroearpus foriformis. Bull., t. 371 (1791).
Stemonitis flm-iformis, Gmel., Syst., 1469 (1791).
Lycoperdon floriforme. With., Arr., iv., 379 (1792).
Reticularia foriformis, Poir., Ency.
Bidymium floriforme, Sohrad., N. G., 25 (1797).
Didcrma floriformc, Pers. Syn., 164 (1801); Fr., S. M., iii.,
p. 99 ; Berk., Engl. Flora, v., p. 310; Cooke, Hdbk., No. 1103.