Lycoperdaceae 



Cortex a smooth, continuous layer, becoming areolate. 



(Plate CLXVII.) 



LYCOPERDON RIMULATUM. 



With magnified spores. 



(After Morgan.) 



L. rimula'tum Pk. rimnla, a small chink. Peridium depressed Lycoperdon. 

 globose or broadly obovoid, plicate under- 

 neath with a slender fibrous mycelium. 

 Cortex at first a thin, smooth, continuous 

 fibrillose layer, gray or bluish-gray, some- 

 times with a purplish tinge; this at length 

 breaks into a network of fine lines or fis- 

 sures, gradually dries up into minute thin 

 adnate scales, and finally falls away from 

 the smooth grayish or purplish-brown 

 surface of the inner peridium. Subgleba 

 broad, but distinct, plane above, occupy- 

 ing about a fourth part of the peridium ; 

 mass of spores and capillitium purplish- 

 gray, then brownish-purple; the threads 



simple or scarcely branched, variable in thickness, but always thinner 

 than the spores. Spores globose, distinctly warted, 6-7/x in diameter, 

 often pedicellate. 



Growing on the ground in fields and open woods. New York, Peck; 

 South Carolina, Atkinson; Ohio, Morgan; Wisconsin, Trelease. Perid- 

 ium % i% in. in diameter, scarcely an inch in height. Morgan. 



New Jersey, T. J. Collins; Pennsylvania. Autumn. Mcllvaine. 



A pretty species, generally in groups. Frequent. It is not common, 

 but occasionally generous patches of it are found. Edible, good. 



L. vela'tlim Vitt. velatus, having a velum. Peridium globose or 

 obovoid, with a cord-like root. Cortex white or yellowish, at first a 

 thickish continuous layer, then breaking up into circular or irregular 

 persistent patches with fimbriate margins. Subgleba occupying about 

 a third part of the peridium ; mass of spores and capillitium olivaceous, 

 then purplish-brown; the threads branched, the main stem nearly as 

 thick as the spores, the branches long and tapering. Spores globose, 

 distinctly warted, 5-6^ in diameter. 



Growing on the ground in woods. South Carolina, Ravenel. 



Peridium 1-2 in. in diameter. Morgan. 



597 



