New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado, and south. Ceylon, Java, Brazil.
3. Physarum vernum Somm.
- 1829. Physarum vernum Somm., Fries, Syst. Mycol., III., p. 146.
- 1875. Physarum cinereum (Batsch), Rost., Mon., p. 102, in part.
- 1875. Badhamia verna Rost., Mon., p. 145.
- 1894. Badhamia panicea Rost., List., Mycetozoa, p. 34.
- 1899. Physarum cinereum (Batsch) Rost., Macbr., N. A. S., p. 34 (in part).
- 1911. Physarum vernum Somm., Lister, Mycetozoa, 2nd ed., p. 75.
"Plasmodium white." Sporangia sessile, generally plasmodiocarpous white, nearly smooth; peridium more or less testaceous not scaly, but breaking irregularly; capillitium densely calcareous, the nodules angular, branching, sometimes united to form a pseudo-columella; spores dusky violaceous, rough, 10–12 µ.
Sommerfeldt's description quoted by Fries, l. c., evidently concerned a less calcareous phase. Fries by his annotation relieves somewhat the reader's uncertainty.
Rostafinski calls this a badhamia but describes a physarum, and the form has, as is believed, been consistently confused with P. cinereum by every student of the group from the days of DeBary until now. In the second edition of the Mycetozoa, Lister clears the situation by transferring the species to Physarum, and calling attention to spore-dimensions. The fact is, the species in external appearance so much resembles P. cinereum, that the unaided eye cannot distinguish one from the other. Curiously enough, Rostafinski describes the form he had before him as "one of the rarest." Doubtless had he gone back to his specimens of P. cinereum he had found plenty, for in Europe it seems abundant everywhere. In this country it is P. cinereum as now defined, that is rarer, although not uncommon. From all connection with Badhamia, as representing B. panicea it should, as would appear, be withdrawn once for all.
4. Physarum sinuosum (Bull.) Weinm.
[Plate VIII.], Figs. 6 and 6a, and Plate [XIX], Fig. 15.
- 1791. Reticularia sinuosa Bulliard, Champ., p. 94; t. 446, Fig. 3.
- 1796. Physarum bivalve Persoon, Obs. Myc., I., p. 6; t. III., Fig. 2.
- 1828. Physarum sinuosum Wein., Fries teste, l. c.
- 1828. Angioridium sinuosum Grev., Scot. Crypt. Fl., 310.
- 1829. Physarum sinuosum Fries, Syst. Myc., III., p. 145.
- 1875. Physarum sinuosum (Bull.) Rost., Monograph, p. 112.
- 1892. Physarum sinuosum Rost., Massee, Mon., p. 305.
- 1894. Physarum bivalve Pers., Lister, Mycetozoa, p. 57.
- 1896. Angioridium sinuosum (Grev.), Morg., Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., p. 75.
- 1899. Physarum sinuosum (Bull.) Wein., Macbr., N. A. S., p. 28.
- 1911. Physarum sinuosum Wein., Lister, Mycetozoa, 2nd ed., p. 76.
Sporangia distinct or plasmodiocarpous, the plasmodiocarp creeping in long vein-like reticulations or curves, laterally compressed; sometimes distinct and crowded, always sessile. Peridium double; the outer thick, calcareous, fragile, snow-white; the inner delicate, the dehiscence by more or less regular longitudinal fissure. Capillitium strongly developed with abundant white, calcareous granules. Spores smooth, dull violet, 8–9 µ. Plasmodium pale gray, or nearly white.