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Didymium squamulosum, Fr., S. M., iii., 118; Eng. FL, v.,
312; Cke., Hdbk., No. 1122.
Didymium neglectum, B. and Br., Ceylon Fungi, No. 747.
Didymium australe, Berk., Hdbk., Flor. Nov. Zealand, p. 191.
Var. virgineum, Mass.
Scattered, or in clusters of two or th re e ; sporangia subglobose,
flattened and slightly umbilicate below, external crust of lime
pure white, rugulose and crumpled but continuous; stem white,
stout, equal to sporangium or shorter, expanding at the base
into a small wrmkled hypothallus; mass of capillitium and
spores blackish; columella subglobose or hemispherical, white or
yellcrwish, rugulose; threads of capillitium copious, radiating
from the columella to tbe wall of tbe sporangium, 3—4 g thick
at the base, a little thinner upwards, often flexuous, sparingly
branching at an acute angle, and sometimes connected laterally,
with scattered, small, elliptical swellings, pale dingy violet or
brownisb, sometimes almost colourless; spores globose, epispore
rather thick, brownish-violet, minutely verruculose, 10—13 g
diameter.
On leaves, wood, &o.
Britain (Scarborough, Carlisle, Epping Forest); Italy.
(Type in Herb., Kew.)
Sporangia 1—].’5 mm. diameter. Tbe outer coat of lime is
very much crumpled, with prominent irregular ridges, but does
not become broken up into detached particles as is usual in
the genus Didymium.
Didymium rnicrocarpon, Rost. (figs. 44, 45).
Sporangia globose, at first witb an external continuous white
crust of lime, which soon becomes broken up into minute
glistening particles, resting on the inner dark membrane, more
or less umbilicate below, stem slender, slightly attenuated upwards,
blackish or rufous, longitudinally rugulose, expanding at the
base into a small subcircular hypothallus, straight or slightly
curved above, generally about twice the length of the spiorangmm;
columella small, spherical, pale ochraceous, internally traversed
by irregular strands giving it a cellular appearance, cavities
containing crystals of lime; capillitium radiating from the
columella to the wall of the sporangium, threads about equal,
2—3 g. thick, repeatedly forked and joining laterally, sometimes
flexuous and rough in parts with minute granules of lime,
varying from colourless, through pale brown to dirty violet;
spores globose, very minutely verruculose, brownish-purple, 5—7 g
diameter.
a. nigripes. Stem blackish.
ß. rufpes. Stem rufous or yellowish.
Didymium rnicrocarpon, Rost., Mon,, p. 157, f. 133,177; Cooke,
Myx. Brit., p. 32, f. 133, 177; Sacc., Syll., 1310; Raunk., p. 87.
Dxsice,.—Ellis, N, Amer. Fung., 1393 (as Didymium micro-
carpion, Fr.), var. nigripes; Ellis, N. Amer. Fung., 412 (as
Didymium xanfhopus).
On twigs, leaves, living mosses, &c.
Plants 2'5—3 mm. high, lumps of lime on the sporangium
in the form of stellate crystals; umbilicus at base of sporangium
sometimes very slight; columella small but ratber
prominent; tbe capillitium varies considerably, sometimes
copious, anastomosing, various, inclined to be rough here and
there with minute granules of lime, or even nodulose; at other
times scanty, colourless, and threads very thin. So far as I
have had, an opportunity of ascertaining, the pale-stemmed
form is confined to living mosses.
Britain (Kew, King’s Cliffe, Carlisle, Shere, Forden, Edin-
boro’, Glamis, N. B.); Sweden; Denmark; France; United
States; Ceylon.
(Rostafinski’s Synonyms.)
Lycoperdon stipitatum, Retz., Vet. de Handl. (1769).
Trichia hemispiherica, Trent., p. 228 (1797). '
Physarum nigripes, Lk., Diss., 1, 27 (1809); Ditm., t. 42.
Trichia cdba, Purt., Midi. FL, iii., 1113 (1817).
Gionium xanthopus, Ditm., t. 43 (1817); Nees, f. IOC.
Physarum rnicrocarpon, Fr., Gast,, p. 23 (1818).