180 Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 



ter the spores have been disseminated, the dis- 

 tinguishing feature of this species. 



Outer skin. — Thick, brownish, cracking into 

 large areas. 



Inner skin. — Pale to dark purple, fragile. 



Spores and threads. — Violet to j)urple, spores 

 rough, globose, threads long. 



Odor. — Earthy. 



Taste. — ]\Iild when white, bitter when of any 

 other color. 



Habitat. — On ground in pastures, common, July 

 to October. Common all over the United States. 



Edible. 



CALVATIA craniiformis (Schw.) 



"Brain-shaped Puff-ball." 



Plant or Pouch. — 3 to 6 inches in diameter, 4 to 

 5 inches in height, top shaped, depressed above. 



Outer skin or corteoc. — Very thin and fragile, 

 grayish-white often folded in areas resembling the 

 folds of a brain, hence the name. 



Inner skin. — Thin, very fragile, yellowish- 

 brown, upper part breaking away first. 



Stem-like base or Subgleba.- -Very thick, with a 

 cordlike root. Occupies abou!; one-half the entire 

 plannt, cup-shaped, remaining after the upper part 

 of pouch has disappeared. 



