PUFFBALLS 



123 



Cominon on wocxl, especially railway ties, usually clustered (ir in troops; too 

 small and toUL^'h to he of \-alue. 



PUFFBALLS LYCOPERDACEAE 



Cap a closed ball, with or with(jut a stem, hreaking or opening at maturity to 

 expose the powdery mass of spores. In most of the genera, the cap is enclosed in 

 two walls or membranes, the outer of which may split into star-like lobes or circular- 

 ly, or may fall awa\- in fragments. 'I'he llesh is white when the plant first appears, 

 but as the spores mature, it becomes stained with yellow, and finally turns into a 

 powdery mass of spores and threads, which escajie through mere cracks or through 

 a definite opening. In the young condition, practically all puffballs are edible, and 

 many of them delicious. One or two only are suspected. They grow habitually on 

 the ground, though a few occur on wood. 



KEY TO THE GENERA 



1. Cap traversed by a distinct stem, at least when young 



2. Cap not traversed by a stem, pulp uniform or nearly 



so 



a. Outer wall splitting circularly, or into star-like 



lobes 



(1) Wall splitting circularly, half or less remain- 



ing on the cap 



(2) 'Wall splitting into starlike lobes 



b. ( )uter wall breaking away in ])ieces or wearing off 



(1) Cap with a slender distinct stalk 



(2) Cap stalkless, or the broad stalk widening into 



the cap 



(a) Inner wall breaking into pieces, freeing the 



spores ; (-ap often very large 



(b) Inner wall oijening by a distinct mouth or 



a more or less regular tear at the apex; 



cap small to medium 

 X. Cap with a stalk-like base; opening by a 



distinct mouth 

 y. Cap without a stalk-like base, opening bv 



a tear 



Secotium 



Calvatia 



Lycoperdon 



Bovista 



Page 

 123 



127 



128 

 130 



SECOTIU-AI 



Cap globoid to conic, with a sht)rt stalk, which is continued through the pulp 

 to the apex, distinguishing this genus from all the following. The cap breaks at 

 the base about the stem. The presence of the stem in the cap connects this genus 

 with the gill fungi. The pulp contains more or less evident hollows, at least when 

 young. The name refers to the presence of hollows in the pulp. 



