Note 19 — Chapter XXII · CLASSIFICATION OF THE FUNGI.

Class Myxomycetes, or Mycetozoa.—To this class belong the “slime molds,” low organisms consisting of masses of naked protoplasm which flows among decaying leaves and in decaying wood, coming to the surface to fruit. The fruit in many cases resembles miniature puff-balls, and these plants were formerly classed with the puff-balls. The spores germinate by forming swarm spores which unite to form a small plasmodium, which in turn grows to form a large plasmodium or protoplasmic mass. It is doubtful if they are any more plant than animal organisms. Examples: Trichia, Arcyria, Stemonitis, Physarum, Ceratiomyxa, etc., on rotten wood; Plasmodiophora brassicæ is a parasite causing club foot of cabbage, radishes, etc. It lives within the roots, causing large knots and swellings on the same.