A new record of Badhamia versicolor Lister (Physaraceae) in Poland

The paper presents a new Polish record of Badhamia versicolor, a nationally rare and red-listed species of Myxomycetes. It was discovered on the edge of the disused sand and gravel pit (formerly, a gravel mine of the Polish State Railway) in the town of Suwałki, north-eastern Poland. Two small clusters of mature fruiting bodies of B. versicolor were noticed on a bark of living poplar (unidentified species of Populus) and on a fallen leaf of the same poplar tree. Photographic documentation of specimens collected from a new locality is provided

Dead wood as microhabitat for myxomycetes in selected forest communities in the Polish Carpathian Mts.

The myxomycete biota of two forest complexes in the Polish Carpathian Mts. in the vicinity of Wyrchczadeczka in the Beskid Śląski Mts and the Żłobina Couloir in the Pieniny National Park was investigated. The preservation rate and the species composition of the tree stands differ considerably. A spruce monoculture has developed in the managed forest near Wyrchczadeczka while the Żłobina Couloir is covered by TilioCarpinetum and Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum. Twenty two species were recorded in both areas, seven species only in Wyrchczadeczka and twenty one species only in the Żłobina Couloir. The range of microhabitats favourable for the development of myxomycetes is greater in the multi-species tree stand in the Żłobina Couloir than in the spruce monoculture in Wyrchczadeczka

First Polish records of Myxomycetes rare in Europe

Seven species of Myxomycetes are reported from Poland for the first time. These are Arcyria virescens, Cribraria costata, C. elegans, C. languescens, C. mirabilis, C. pertenuis and Trichia flavicoma. They have very few localities in Europe and Cribraria pertenuis is known only from two sites worldwide. The species are described and illustrated with microphotographs, including first published micrographs of C. pertenuis. Localities are given and the taxonomy and ecology of each species are discussed

Slime moulds

Myxomycetes are nucleate organisms. Their complex life cycle consists of two developmental stages: plasmodium and sporangium, which differ considerably morphologically and physiologically. The first brief reports on the occurrence of slime moulds in the Bieszczady National Park (BNP) date back to the first half of the 20th century. Investigations into myxomycetes were conducted between 1995 and 2015 during a number of vegetative seasons. The occurrence of seventy four species and two varieties was confirmed (Table 1). The ecological group of species developing on dead wood prevailed in the biota of slime moulds in the BNP. Myxomycetes colonizing litter were a considerably smaller group. Taxa representing early-spring slime moulds associated with melting snow also occurred in the BNP. Slime moulds are not covered by species protection. Indirect protection takes place when microhabitats occupied by these organisms are protected. Further field investigations are required to recognize the species diversity of myxomycetes in the BNP

Revision of the genus Licea (Myxomycetes) in Poland

Diversity and distribution of the Licea species in Poland is revised based on literature data and new records. Sixty-five specimens found in the field were examined representing 11 species and one unassigned morphotype (Licea sp.). Six species: Licea biforis, L. castanea, L. clarkii, L.cf. pedicellata, L. poculiformis and L. pygmaea are reported for the first time from Poland. Illustrations of macroscopic and microscopic characters of each species are provided. A key to the Licea species occurring in Poland is also included. Several specimens were collected on the bark of orchard apple trees that seems to be a favourable substrate for Licea species. Finally, phenology of the Polish field records indicates that the Licea sporophores occur all over the year