Order Gasteromtcetes.' Sub-order Trichogastres.^ 



Plate XXVI. 



LYCOPERDON GIGANTEUM, 5.^../. 



Giant Puff-ball. 



Gen. Char. Peridium membranaceous, with an adnate sub-persistent bark, within furnished at the base with a 

 spongy sterile stratum. Capillitium unequal. 



i^ec. Char. Lycoperdon giganteum. Peridium, above very obtuse, brittle, bursting in areolae, at length 

 broadly open ; outer membrane sub-distinct. Spores olive-coloured, 

 Lycoperdon giganteum, BatscJi, Berkeley, Fries, Persoon. 

 BovisTA gigantea, Nees, Greville. 



Hob. In pastures and plantations. 



There can be no difficulty in recognizing tlie Giant Puff-ball, mere dimension serving to distinguish it 

 sufficiently ; the size very frequently exceeds the specimens given in the plate, a note being made of some 

 in August, 1846, one of which, extremely irregular from having been impeded ia growth, squeezed up 

 among felled timber, was equal iu mass to a half -peck loaf. The Greeks called this Fungus Kpaviov, and 

 how correctly the name appKes, the skuU-like portrait proves ; indeed, it appears necessary to state that it 

 is an exact portrait, not humoured in the least into a fancied resemblance , the place where the root is 

 broken off represents the nasal orifice. 



However varied the forms of Lycoperdon g\gante%vm may be, owing to checked expansion, &c., they 

 will be found in youth to consist of a bag, gathered in at the base, and terminating in a single root. On 

 peeHug off the leather-like covering, which precisely resembles fine kid, and bears the impression of the 

 finger, a soft snow-white mass is found to occupy the whole interiour, growing denser towards the base ; 

 in age the upper part turns yellow, then olive, and shows itself to be the capiUitium ^, as it is called, 

 among which the spores are placed ; the lower part undergoes no change, being the sterile stratum. 



The ripening of the spores causes the fertile plant to swell, so that when the Fungus has fair scope, it 

 assumes more or less the shape of a reversed pyramid ; further expansion cracks the upper part of the bag 

 into tolerably regular polygons, and eventually the whole summit becomes opened for the dispersion of the 

 dust-like spores. Of many, carefully watched, the progress has been simply this — on no occasion have the 



' From yasrfjp, the stomach, and iivktis, b. fungus; hymenium included in the receptacle. 



^ From 6p\^, a hair, and yasnj/j, the stomach ; receptacle filled with floccose hairs on which the spores are placed. 



^ From cajullm, a hair. 



