Physarum pulcherrimum

Physarum pulcherrimum Berk. & Rav.; Berk
Grevillea2:65. 1873.
Stemonitis porphyra Berk. & Curt.; Berk. Grevillea 2: 69. 1873. Physarum atrorubrum Peck, Ann. Rep. N. Y. State Mus. 31: 40. 1879. Cytidium pulcherrimum Morgan, Jour. Cine. Soc. Nat. Hist. 19: 8. 1896.
Sporangia stalked, gregarious, globose, 0.4-0.5 mm. in diameter, even or somewhat wrinkled, deep maroon, reddishviolet, or purple; stalk cylindric, even, impregnated with lime, concolorous or darker; columella small, sometimes lacking; capillitium delicate, dense, the numerous, small, rounded, purple-red nodes connected by pinkishwhite threads; spores dark brown in mass, pale pinkish-lilac by transmitted light, globose, nearly smooth, 7.5-8.5 m in diameter; Plasmodium deep purple or dark -red.
Type locality: South Carolina. Habitat: Dead wood.
Distribution: Eastern United States and Canada to Colorado and Mississippi, and in Washington and New Mexico; Europe; Asia.