Chapter V: Section I: Physarum

I. Fructification not stipitate, more or less plasmodiocarpous.

1. Peridium simple.

_a._ Calcareous deposits yellow 1. _P. serpula_

_b._ Calcareous deposits reddish or orange 2. _P. lateritium_

_c._ Calcareous deposits white, peridium rugulose 3. _P. vernum_

2. Peridium double.

_a._ Fructification flatly compressed 4. _P. sinuosum_

_b._ Fructification less compressed, rounded.

i. Outer peridium white 5. _P. bitectum_

ii. Outer peridium brown or brown-tinged 6. _P. bogoriense_

iii. Outer peridium yellow; capillitium yellow 7. _P. alpinum_

II. Fructification of sporangia more or less distinct.

A. Sporangia sessile, globose, ovoid, reniform, etc.

1. Peridium double.

_a._ Sporangia white, peridium testaceous. 8. _P. diderma_

_b._ Sporangia tinged with yellow.

i. Sporangia as if interwoven,
compressed 9. _P. contextum_

ii. Sporangia more nearly free, distinct.

o Spores pale, inner peridium
brittle 10. _P. conglomeratum_

oo Spores spinulose, dark violet 11. _P. mortoni_

_c._ Sporangia brown, dehiscence revolute 12. _P. brunneolum_

2. Peridium simple, calcareous, flaky.

_a._ Sporangia grey, plasmodiocarpous;
spores dusky, 10-12 forms of 3

_b._ Sporangia grey, more or less dense;
spores violet, 6-7 13. _P. cinereum_

_c._ Calcareous deposits yellow or greenish,
spores 7-9 14. _P. virescens_

_d._ Sporangia rusty or reddish brown,
more or less dense 15. _P. rubiginosum_

_e._ Sporangia minute, lignicolous,
the fructification much extended
upon a hypothallus, lime deposit
tawny 16. _P. instratum_

_f._ Sporangia white, depressed, annulate,
sometimes with short stipes 17. _P. megalosporum_

3. Peridium simple, not flaky,
small .2-.3 mm., heaped 18. _P. confertum_

B. Sporangia, at least some of them, stipitate.

_a._ Sporangia columellate.

i. Columella small, usually conical.

O Sporangium yellow.

o Columella white 19. _P. melleum_

oo Columella yellow 20. _P. citrinum_

OO Sporangium not yellow.

o Capillitial mass persistent.

+ Sporangia globose,
pallid or white 21. _P. globuliferum_

++ Sporangia blue or lilac,
rose, etc. 22. _P. lilacinum_

+++ Sporangia drab or brownish 23. _P. murinum_

++++ Sporangia wine-red 24. _P. pulcherrimum_

oo Capillitial-mass less
persistent; orange 25. _P. pulcherripes_

ii. Columella long, 4-5 the sporangium
non-calcareous. 26. _P. penetrale_

iii. Columella large globose 27. _P. luteo-album_

_b._ Sporangia without columella.

i. Sporangia nucleate, calcareous at center.

O Stipe yellow 28. _P. nucleatum_

OO Stipe white 29. _P. wingatense_

ii. Sporangia non-nucleate.

O Sporangia purple 30. _P. newtoni_

OO Sporangia blue, spotted with red 31. _P. psittacinum_

OOO Grey or white, iridescent betimes.

o Sporangia white, discoidal;
stipe yellow 32. _P. discoidale_

oo Sporangia lightly calcareous,
iridescent, sub-globose,
diam. about = to the stout,
brown, slightly wrinkled
stipe 33. _P. leucophaeum_

ooo Sporangia globose or sub-globose.

x. Small, .5 mm.

+ Stipe erect, clear brown 34. _P. nodulosum_

++ Stipe weak, yellow,
stuffed 35. _P. maculatum_

xx. Larger, lime-capped; stipe
strand-like 36. _P. didermoides_

xxx. Stipe snow-white, fragile 37. _P. leucopus_

xxxx. Stipe generally distinctly fluted

+ Sporangia laterally
compressed, fan-shaped 38. _P. compressum_

++ Sporangia typically
globose, umbilicate
below, connate, etc.,
strongly calcareous 39. _P. notabile_

+++ Sporangia reniform,
concave below _P. affine_,
see under 38

++++ Sporangia larger, to 1 mm.,
nearly limeless,
iridescent 40. _P. tropicale_

oooo Sporangia obovate, compound,
clustered, the stipe fuscous,
fluted, short. 41. _P. nicaraguense_

OOOO Sporangia yellow, rarely iridescent or brown.

o Capillitial nodes white.

x. Stipe also white 42. _P. sulphureum_

xx. Stipe flesh-colored,
spores smaller 43. _P. carneum_

xxx. Stipe red or reddish brown 44. _P. citrinellum_

xxxx. Stipe yellowish, flaccid,
sporangia leocarpine 45. _P. albescens_

xxxxx. Stipe very short or none,
sporangia cylindric, brown 46. _P. variabile_

oo Capillitium nodes yellow or orange-yellow.

x. Badhamioid,
larger,--to .8 mm. 47. _P. auriscalpium_

xx. Physaroid, base persistent 48. _P. oblatum_

ooo Capillitium nodes pure yellow.

x. Capillitial threads yellow 49. _P. galbeum_

xx. Capillitial threads hyaline 50. _P. tenerum_

xxx. Peridium iridescent.

+ Capillitium persistent 51. _P. flavicomum_

++ Capillitium less
persistent, larger 52. _P. bethelii_