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In order to identify myxomycetes it is usually
necessary to resort to microscopical examination
of the sporangium and its contents. It consists
of a stalk (where present) and a capsule which
is composed of an outer shell, known as the
peridium, which often splits or falls away to
reveal a mass of spores amid a net of tubules
called the capillitium. The structure of the
net together with the size and markings of the
spores are useful aids to identification. The
size of the spores is usually in the region of
10 μm (1/100 mm) .
Collecting specimens is very much an all the
year activity although the frequency of finds
increases considerably in the moist, warm weather
of spring and autumn. They can often be found
on the underneath of rotting logs, especially
when these reach a soft, pulpy condition. They
can also be found on decomposing leaves in the
damp level just below the surface of woodland
floors. Searching under holly trees can be a
profitable, if uncomfortable, experience. Early
writers suggested spent tan heaps as providing
ideal sites, but these now appear harder to find
than the myxomycetes!
The method of collecting is to lift the specimen
complete with the substrate, be it a piece of
log, bark, or a complete leaf. This is put into
a moist container and if left for a day in this
condition specimens will usually come to maturity.
They can then be allowed to dry out. Kept in
small boxes they will keep for an extremely long
time. This has an advantage in that identific-
ation can be left until one is ready to deal with
them. The real threat to a collection is from
small insects and this problem can be obviated
by placing a moth ball or similar insect repellent
amidst the boxes.