Chapter I: Front Matter

From the Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History, Oct. 1892, Jan. 1893.

THE MYXOMYCETES OF THE MIAMI VALLEY, OHIO.

BY A. P. MORGAN.

First Paper.

(Read January 3, 1893.)

Table of Contents

MYXOMYCETES, Wallr.

Order Genera Page
LICEACEÆ. 4
Licea 4
Tubulina 6
Lycogala 7
RETICULARIACEÆ. 10
Reticularia 10
Clathroptychium 12
Cibraria 13
Dictydium 16
PERICHÆNACEÆ. 19
Perichæna 19
Ophiotheca 21
ARCYRIACEÆ. 23
Lachnobolus 23
Arcyria 24
Heterotrichia 27
TRICHIACEÆ. 28
Hemiarcyria 29
Calonema 33
Trichia 34
Oligonema 40
STEMONITACEÆ. 43
Clastoderma 44
Lamproderma 45
Comatricha 48
Stemonitis 52
Enerthenema 56
Diachaea 56
DIDYMIACEÆ. 58
Didymium 59
Spumaria 64
Diderma 66
Lepidoderma 72
PHYSARACEÆ. 73
Angioridium 75
Cienkowskia 75
Leocarpus 76
Physarella 78
Cytidium 80
Craterium 84
Physarum 88
Fuligo 102
Badhamia 105
Scyphium 109

List or Illustrations

Vol. XV. Plate III. Figs. 1-12.
Vol. XVI. Plate I. Figs. 13-24.
Vol. XVI. Plate XI. Figs. 25-36.
Vol. XVI. Plate XII. Figs. 37-48.
Vol. XIX. Plate XIII. Figs. 49-55.
Vol. XIX. Plate XIV. Figs. 56-63.
Vol. XIX. Plate XV. Figs. 64-73.

PRESTON, HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO, December 28, 1892.

MR. DAVIS L. JAMES

_Dear Sir_--Along with this I send you the first installment of the papers, entitled "The Myxomycetes of the Miami Valley, Ohio."

The work in these papers is based upon my ample collection of Myxomycetes growing in this region, comprising more than one hundred species; these have been diligently compared with specimens obtained from correspondents elsewhere in this country and in Europe.

At the same time, I have also included many extra limital species. This has been done chiefly to more clearly elucidate the subject in places where the local material is not sufficient.

The only apology I can make for the arrangement which I present, is that I have been obliged to choose from several different systems. I have aimed not to hamper myself, by attaching paramount importance to some particular character throughout.

I purpose to furnish a synopsis of the whole at the end of the work.

Very truly yours,
A. P. MORGAN.

* * * * *

MYXOMYCETES, Wallr.

Fructification essentially a minute membranaceous vesicle, the SPORANGIUM inclosing the SPORES, the product of a motile protoplasmic body called the PLASMODIUM.

Microscopic organisms with the habit of the Fungi. The ripe spore of the Myxomycetes is globose or ellipsoidal in shape, with the epispore colorless or colored, and smooth or marked by characteristic surface--sculpture according to the species; the spore in germination gives rise to an elongated protoplasmic body, which exhibits amoeboid movements, and is known by the name of _swarm-cell_. The swarm-cells multiply by bipartition, which may be repeated through several generations; they then unite together to form the large motile protoplasmic bodies named _plasmodia_. The newly-formed plasmodium is distinguished by its greater size from the swarm-cells, while it exhibits essentially the same movements and changes of shape. The plasmodia gradually increase in size, and as they grow assume commonly the form of branched strands; these spread over the surface of the substratum, which is usually the decaying parts of plants, in the form of veins and net-works of veins, giving rise to a copiously-branched reticulated or frill-like expansion, which covers surfaces varying in extent from a few to several centimeters. They are chiefly composed of a soft protoplasm of the consistence of cream, which may be readily spread out into a shapeless smear, and is usually colorless, but sometimes exhibits brilliant colors of yellow, orange, rose, purple, etc. The development of the plasmodium ceases with the formation of the _spores_ within their _sporangia_.

The formation of the sporangia out of the plasmodium appears under three general forms, which, however, pass into each other and are, therefore, not strictly limited.

_First:_ An entire plasmodium spread out on its substratum becomes transformed into a sporangium, or it divides into a variable number of unequal and irregular pieces, each of which undergoes transformation. Such a sporangium lying flat on the substratum, more or less elongated and flexuous, often branched and reticulate, is termed a _plasmodiocarp_.

_Second:_ Erect sporangia on a narrow or stalk-like base, begin as node-like swellings on the branches of the plasmodium, and gradually rise to their ultimate form as the surrounding protoplasm flows into them and assumes an upward direction. These sporangia are nearly always perfectly regular in shape; they may be globose, obovoid, somewhat depressed, or more or less elongated, and are either stipitate or sessile.

_Third:_ A number of plasmodia collect together from every side and become fused into a single body, often of considerable dimensions; from these combinations originate the large spore-receptacles which are called _æthalia_. The component sporangia may be regular in shape, standing close together, in a single stratum, with entire connate walls; more often, being elongated and flexuous, they branch and anastomose freely, their walls becoming perforated and more or less defective; in other cases, the æthalium is a compound plasmodiocarp, the narrow sinuous sporangia branched and anastomosing in all directions, forming an intricate network, closely packed together and inseparable. The surface of the æthalium is often covered by a continuous layer of some excreted substance, which is called the _common cortex_.

The wall of the sporangium, typically, is a thin, firm membrane, colorless and pellucid, or colored in various shades of violet, brown, yellow, etc.; it is sometimes extremely delicate, as in Lamproderma, or is scarcely evident, as in Stemonitis; in other instances it is thickened by deposits on the inner surface, as in Tubulina, or by incrustations on the outer surface, as in Chondrioderma. The stipes are tubes usually with a thick wall, which is often wrinkled and folded lengthwise, and is confluent above with the wall of the sporangium; in some cases the stipe also enters the sporangium, and is more or less prolonged within it as a _columella_. The stipe commonly expands at the base into a membrane, which fastens it to the substratum, and is called the _hypothallus_; when all the stipes of the same group of sporangia stand upon a single continuous membrane, it is called a _common hypothallus_.

In the simplest forms, the cavity of the sporangium is filled exclusively with the numerous spores; but in most all of the genera, tubules or threads of different forms occur among the spores and constitute the _capillitium_. The capillitium first makes its appearance in Reticularia, in which upon the inner surface of the walls of the sporangia there are abundant fibrous thickenings; next in Cribraria it is spread over the inner surface of the wall, and is early separated from it; here, also, it first assumes a more definite form and arrangement; in Physarum it is in connection with the wall of the sporangium only by its extremities while it traverses the interior with a complicated network; in Stemonitis and its allies the capillitium originates wholly from the columella; in most species of Arcyria it issues from the interior of the stipe. The capillitium in Trichia consists of numerous slender threads which are _free_, that is, are not attached in any way; they are usually simple and pointed at each extremity; the surface of these threads exhibits beautiful spiral markings.

ORDER I. LICEACEÆ.

Sporangia always sessile, simple and regular or plasmodiocarp, sometimes united into an æthalium. The wall a thin, firm, persistent membrane, often granulose-thickened, usually rupturing irregularly. Spores globose, usually some shade of umber or olivaceous, rarely violaceous.

The species of this order are the simplest of the Myxomycetes; the sporangium, with a firm, persistent wall contains only the spores. There is no trace of a capillitium, unless a few occasional threads in the wall of Tubulina prefigure such a structure. To the genera of this order is appended the anomalous genus Lycogala, which seems to me better placed here than elsewhere.

TABLE OF GENERA OF LICEACEÆ.

1. LICEA. Sporangia simple and regular or plasmodiocarp, gregarious; hypothallus none.

2. TUBULINA. Sporangia cylindric, or by mutual pressure becoming prismatic, distinct or more or less connate and æthalioid, seated upon a common hypothallus.

3. LYCOGALA. Æthalium with a firm membranaceous wall; from the inner surface of the wall proceed numerous slender tubules, which are intermingled with the spores.