Scleroderma 



SCLERODERMACE/E 



479 



sessile or nearly so, pale to olive-umber, base spongy-cellular 

 within. Gl. composed of numerous cells, each containing an 

 olive-umber Peri. Spores dark brown. 

 On the ground. May. 2§ x 3§ in. 



CXVIII. SCLERODERMA Pers. 

 (From the hard skin or peridium ; Gr. skleros, hard, derma, skin.) 



Peridium firm, cortex persistent in the form of warts, scales or 

 granules, indehiscent or breaking up in an irregular or more or less 



Fig. 134. — a, B, Scleroderma vulgare Hornem., entire and in section.^ One-half natural size, 

 c, cells of gleba. X 5. d, basidia and spores; e, spore germinating. X 750. 



stellate manner, convex internally at base. Gleba cellular, subper- 

 sistent, without peridiola. Trama in the cell walls. (Fig. 134.) 



The peridium is frequently and extensively perforated by larvae 

 which eat the spore-mass and help to disseminate the spores. 



Species 2086—2089 



2086. S. vulgare Hornem. (from its commonness ; vulgaris, 



common) a b c. 



Subsessile, often lobed below and usually slightly depressed 



above, ovate, reniform in vertical section. Pe. thick, corky, 



verrucose or adpressed-scaly, pale warm-brown, scales darker. 



Gl. dark slate-colour. Trama white. 



Often ccespitose. Under the name of "vegetable tripe " it has been eaten when 

 quite young and found not poisonous. Used for the adulteration of pate de 



