Myxomycetes

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Myxomycetes in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
MYXOMYCETES (Slime Molds) A very distinct and independent group, formerly often classified in the animal kingdom. The plants consist of naked masses of protoplasm called plasmodia, which contain many nuclei but no chlorophyll. These are found in forests and damp, shady places. When ready to fruit, the plasmodia move toward the light and away from the water, hence ascend grass stems, stumps and logs, where they transform into elaborately constructed sporangia. The asexual spores, each enclosed by a cell-wall, are distributed by the wind, germinate, produce a ciliated bit of naked protoplasm which swims in the soil moisture, multiply by division and at length fuse with neighboring protoplasts to form the plasmodium, which latter may be sometimes a foot in breadth. During unfavorable weather, the plasmodia are often transformed into sclerotia. Plasmodiophora brassicae, which is the cause of the club-root of cabbage, is the only Myxomycete of great economic importance. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

More information about this class can be found on the division page.

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