sub-globose, generally sessile, rugulose, white; the peridium
membranous, white above, below yellowish or brown; capillitium not
abundant, thoroughly calcareous, the nodes broad, conspicuous, the
connecting tubules rigid; columella none; hypothallus scant or none;
spore-mass black, spores non-adherent, by transmitted light bright clear
brown, thickly spinulose all over, large spherical, 12-15 mu.

Closely resembles externally _B. panicea_, but is easily distinguished
by larger and remarkably _spinulose_ spores, in this particular
unrivalled in the entire genus. European authors describe both sessile
and stipitate forms. American specimens generally are sessile and for
the most part closely crowded, almost heaped; but--Prof. Bethel finds
this in winter everywhere on fallen rotting stems of Opuntia and on the
bases of dead Yucca leaves, still attached. Associated with the typical
phase and often _occurring alone on the Yucca_ leaves is a discoidal
form which when first sent in (1908) was called var. _gracilis_.
Presented alone to one ignorant of its history and associations, it
would surely pass for a distinct species. This stalked phase is very
delicate; the stipe pale brown, or yellow. See Plate II., Fig. 9. See
also Sturgis _Col. Coll. Pub._ XII., 408.

8. BADHAMIA ORBICULATA _Rex._

PLATE XIV., Fig. 4.

1893. _Badhamia orbiculata_ Rex. _Proc. Phil. Acad._, p. 372.
1894. _Badhamia macrocarpa Rost._, Lister, _Mycetozoa_, p. 34
(in part).
1911. _Badhamia orbiculata_ Rex., Lister, _Mycetozoa, 2nd ed._, p. 37

Sporangia stipitate or sessile, orbicular discoidal, irregularly
elongated or plasmodiocarpous, averaging about 1 mm. in width, generally
stipitate, and when stipitate, flattened or depressed above, plane or
slightly umbilicate below; the peridium simple, more or less translucent
from the varying number of innate granules, sometimes covered with
circular flat masses of lime, gray except the point of attachment to the
stipe which is brown; stipe short, black, rough, plicate; capillitium
dense at the centre, radiant at the periphery where it meets the
sporangial wall, white; spores violaceous black, minutely warted, 12-15
mu.

This is a beautiful species, easily known by its discoidal or almost
annulate sporangia mounted upon short dark black stipes. The stipe in
western collections is sometimes very short, but generally suffices to
raise the sporangium, a little at least, above the substrat