Chapter X: SCYPHIUM, Rost. Sporangium obovoid to oblong-obovoid, stipitate or

subsessile; the wall a thickened, brownish membrane, the surface entirely naked or only the upper portion covered with granules of lime, breaking up irregularly about the apex. Stipe variable in length, arising from a common hypothallus and prolonged within the sporangium as a columella. Capillitium of thick tubules, proceeding from numerous points of the columella and forming a dense network; the tubules filled with lime throughout their whole extent. Spores large, subglobose, dark reddish-brown.

This genus differs from _Badhamia_ by the columella which gives origin to the capillitium. The sporangia in the species composing it, resemble those of _Craterium_, and to this genus they are referred by Massee, but the capillitium is that of _Badhamia_.

1. SCYPHIUM RUBIGINOSUM, Chev. Sporangia gregarious, obovoid, stipitate; the wall a thickened reddish-brown membrane, the upper part covered by a thin layer of white granules of lime, the lower basal portion naked, strongly venulose and more persistent. Stipe long, erect, reddish-brown, expanding at the base into a brown hypothallus, prolonged within the sporangium to more than half its height as a columella. Capillitium of thick tubules, forming a dense net-work of small meshes; the tubules stuffed with white granules of lime. Spores irregularly globose, minutely warted, dark reddish-brown, 12-15 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, mosses, etc. Sporangia .6-.8 mm. in height by .5-.6 mm. in diameter, the stipe from once to twice the height of the sporangium. This is _Physarum rubiginosum_ Chevallier, _Flor de Paris_. It is also _Craterium obovatum_ Peck.

2. SCYPHIUM CURTISII, Berk. Sporangia oblong-obovoid, stipitate or subsessile, usually growing in clusters; the wall a thick, firm, reddish-brown membrane, venulose and reticulate, nearly destitute of lime. Stipes variable, commonly very short, sometimes confluent, arising from a brown hypothallus, prolonged within the sporangium to about half its height. Capillitium of thick tubules, forming a dense network of small meshes; the tubules stuffed with white granules of lime. Spores irregularly globose, minutely warted, dark reddish-brown, 12-15 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, leaves, grass, etc. Sporangium .4-.7 mm. in height by .3-.4 mm. in diameter, the stipe often reduced to a mere point or cushion on the hypothallus, and varying thence to nearly the length of the sporangium. The sporangium is narrower than in the preceding species, and the brown wall is usually without granules of lime. It is _Didymium curtisii_, Berk. Rostafinski and Massee both preserve it distinct from _S. rubiginosum_. See Plate XV. Fig. 73.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE XV.

Fig. 64.--Physarum glaucum, Phillips, _a._ Sporangia × 5. _b._ Sporangium × 90. _c._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 65.--Physarum serpula, Morgan, _a._ Plasmodiocarp × 5. _b._ Piece of plasmodiocarp × 90. _c._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 66.--Fuligo violacea, Pers. _a._ Aethalium natural size. _b._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig 67.--Fuligo flava, Pers. _a._ Portion of an aethalium × 5. _b._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 68.--Fuligo cinerea, Schw. _a._ Portion of aethalium × 5. _b._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 69.--Badhamia papaveracea, B. & Rav. _a._ Sporangia × 5. _b._ Sporangium together with transverse section × 90. _c._ Capillitium and spores × 90. _d._ Portion of capillitium with clustered spores × 500.

Fig. 70.--Badhamia affinis, Rost. _a._ Sporangia × 5. _b._ Sporangia × 90, one with section showing capillitium. _c._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 71.--Badhamia decipiens, Curtis, _a._ Sporangia × 5. _b._ Sporangia × 90. _c._ Section of sporangium showing capillitium. _d._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 72.--Scyphium rubiginosum, Chev. _a._ Sporangia × 90. _b._ Sporangia × 90, with section showing capillitium. _c._ Capillitium and spores × 500.

Fig. 73.--Scyphium curtisii, Berk. Sporangia × 5.

VOL. XIX. PLATE XV.

MORGAN ON MYXOMYCETES.]

Transcriber's Notes

The Table of Contents and List of Illustrations was added; not part of the original papers.

Page 4 & Vol. XV, Plate III: 'Lycogola' changed to 'Lycogala'.

Page 18: 'exigum' changed to 'exiguum'.

Page 24: 'stiptiate' changed to 'stipitate'.

Page 27: 'fasiculate' changed to 'fasciculate'.

Page 35: 'A nactium' Unknown word. Unchanged.

Vol. XVI, Plate I: 'Cookii' changed to 'Cookei'.

Page 48: 'Stermonitis scintillans' changed to 'Stemonitis scintillans'.

Page 84, 85(2): 'circumcissile' changed to 'circumscissile'.

'Network' and 'net-work' are used interchangeably throughout.

Use of accents is inconsistent, especially in illustrations.

Links to Plates XIII, XIV and XV added in html version.

Plates moved closer to referencing text.