Lycoperdaceas 



This is another very variable species. The typical form is a small one, Lycoperdon. 

 minutely echinate and having the denuded peridium smooth. The plant 

 often occurs much larger and more coarsely echinate with stout 

 angular spines or pyramidal warts, which fall off and generally leave 

 the surface of the peridium velvety. 



Var. typ'icum. Small, 6-9 lines broad, globose, minutely echinate, 

 the warts quickly falling off and leaving the peridium smooth. (L. 

 Wrightii B. and C.) 



Var. sep'arans. Larger, 10-24 l mes broad, subglobose or lentiform, 

 echinate with coarse substellate spines or pyramidal warts, which at 

 length fall off and leave the peridium smooth or velvety. (L. separans 

 Pk.) 



Var. atropunc turn . Larger, 1015 lines broad, subglobose, pure 

 white, warts or coarse spines brown or blackish at the tips. 



This species is generally gregarious, but sometimes it forms tufts of 

 several individuals closely crowded together. It sometimes occurs in 

 cultivated grounds and stubble fields. The under surface is occasionally 

 plicate as in the long-stemmed puff-ball. In the var. separans the 

 warts or spines are crowded at their thickened bases and slightly at- 

 tached to each other, so that they come off at maturity in flakes or 

 patches. When the denuded surface of the peridium is velvety, it is 

 usually of a darker color than when smooth, being subcinnamon, reddish- 

 brown or dark-brown. Peck, 32d Rep. N. Y. State Bot. 



Ground in grassy places. July to frost. Mcllvaine. 



I have found var. separans in December, under snow. 



Edible. Peck, Rep. 32. 



The edible qualities of L. Wrightii and varieties are good. 



L. calves'cens B. and C. calve sco, to become bald. Subglobose, 

 at first rough with warts which soon disappear, leaving the surface 

 slightly velvety, I /i in. broad, bearing short rootlets at the base. Spores 

 globose, smooth, having at first only a slight stalk (pedicel), dingy- 

 ochraceous, 3-4^. 



Nearly related to L. Wrightii. 



Connecticut, Wright, New York, ground in open woods. Bethle- 

 hem, Peck, 22d Rep. N. Y. State Bot. 



L. pusil'llim (Batsch. ) Fr. small. Peridium K-i in. broad, glob- 

 ose, scattered or cespitose, sessile, radicating, with but little cellular tissue 



605 



