Rare. Iowa, Ohio, Maine; Portugal.

38. Physarum compressum Alb. & Schw.

[Plate XVIII.], Fig. 14, and [Plate XIX.], Fig. 12 and Fig. 4.

Sporangia more or less scattered, compressed-globose, or compressed-reniform, i. e. often umbilicate, stipitate, sessile, or elongate as if plasmodiocarpous, calcareous, white or ashen; peridium thin, covered with squamules, opening irregularly, usually by apical cleft; stipe, when present, short, stout, more or less sulcate, dark brown or ashen; capillitium a rather loose net, the nodules white, variable in size and shape; spores purplish-brown, delicately roughened, about 10–12.5 µ.

P. affine R. was in this connection set up for European types compressed indeed, but more strongly reniform. The author says in his further description that the form affine is less definitely umbilicate, has white stems, etc.; allantoid, one would now say. Such forms now begin to appear in America; and if for these a specific name is needed, it is provided, P. affine Rost., [Plate XIX]., Fig. 4.

This seems to be a cosmopolitan species, now that we have found it. However, in North America it is rare. It is reported from Pennsylvania, from Colorado; Harkness found it in California, and the writer has often collected it in Oregon, on Mt. Rainier, Washington, and in California. Europe.

39. Physarum notabile nom. nov.

[Plate IX]., Figs. 2, 2 a, 2 b; [Plate XV]., Fig. 2; and [Frontispiece.]