The Plasmodium of the Myxomycete Licea Biforis in Agar Culture

SUMMARY

The plasmodium of the myxomycete Licea biforis, as it develops in agar culture, is described. Clumping of swarm cells coincides with the appearance of the first minute plasmodia and is followed by what appears to be a coalescence of swarm cells with the plasmodia. As the plasmodia develop they exhibit the characteristics of protoplasmodia, but when two of them coalesce reversible streaming can be detected in the protoplasmic bridge which joins them until union is complete. Plasmodia may divide, as they reach maturity, each portion then developing into a sporangium. Sixty-four single spore isolates yielded plasmodia, 58 of which fruited. The isolate from which the spores were taken is, therefore, considered to be either homothallic or apogamic.