88 THE GASTEROMYCETES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 



short, thick and simple or more slender and fascicled with their tips cohering, at matur- 

 ity breaking up into large or small flakes (see below), usually beginning in a median 

 line between the stem and top, but often rupturing at every point or at many points at 

 once (see below for woods form). The lower third, covering the stem and lower part 

 of the body, does not fall away. Inner peridium strong to pale olivaceous brown when 

 first exposed, even, or in one of our collections (Warrenton, Va.) obviously pitted, much 

 as in gemmatum. It is peculiar in having beneath the spines a covering of a minute 

 brown furfurescence which disappears rather slowly and leaves the surface paler and 

 shining. This furfurescence is different from that of any other plant we know. It is 

 composed of little flat scales, the prevailing shape of which is spherical to oblong, vary- 

 ing to irregular and angled, the majority elongated and up to 60 x IOO/j. Subgleba 

 ample, composed of distinct, rather large compartments, occupying the stem and lower 

 part of the body and persistent after the top has disappeared, remaining as a dark brown 

 pedicel with a thin, collapsed margin. 



Spores (of No. 482) spherical, smooth, 3.6-4. lju thick, with one oil drop. The 

 spores have mixed with them about an equal number of small rods like bacilli, that 

 average about twice the length of the spore's width. Basidia (of No. 5225) 6.6-7.4,u 

 thick, usually 4-spored. Capillitium composed of yellowish brown fibers very little 

 branched, about as thick as the spores as a rule, but up to 5/x in diameter, attenuated 

 at the ends. 



The spores and capillitium of our plants have been compared with Peck's collec- 

 tions of separans and are the same. One of the most characteristic qualities of the plant 

 is its strong odor when ripening or fading like that of horse urine, a distinction it shares 

 with L. gemmatum. It is a very common plant with us in open places and cultivated 

 ground, and less often in woods. The spines are very variable, in some cases very thick 

 and short and not split up into fascicles, in others slender and moderately short or long, 

 and in groups of several with their tips united. In Chapel Hill there are two rather 

 distinct forms; in one (typical) of cultivated or open ground the cortex falls off in larger 

 flakes and more irregularly and the spores have a little mucro left after the pedicel 

 breaks off; in the other one of woods each group of spines with its underlying tissue is 

 apt to fall off singly or with a small group of others, and the denudation is more regular, 

 proceeding from the top downward. In this form the spores have no mucro. The 

 scales on the denuded surface are just like those of the typical form. This character 

 alone is sufficient to distinguish the species. For general discussion of the species see 

 Lloyd (Myc. Notes, pp. 214 and 231). 



It seems certain that L. cruciatum is L. marginatum, as Rostkovius's good figure 

 could not be referred to anything else. Spores of three specimens labelled cruciatum 

 in Bresadola's herbarium (sent by Romell) are not those of the present species. This 

 is true also of a specimen labelled marginatum in the same herbarium We have seen 

 European material of true L. marginatum, as L. cruciatum (Herb. Hasskarl & Herb. 

 Klotzsch), received from the Ryks Herbarium in Leiden. They show the same spores 

 and peridial scales as in our specimens (spores 3. 6-4. 5m). The capillitium is not color- 

 less but of about the same tint as in ours. We have compared capillitium of plants 

 just maturing in our No. 482 with other mature ones of the same collection and find that 

 the capillitium does not change after the spores are mature. 



A bit of the inner peridium and spores and capillitium of L. cahescens B. & C. 

 from the Curtis Herbarium (Wright, No. 6366, co-type), kindly sent us by Dr. Thaxter, 

 shows it to be marginatum. The peridial scales and the spores are the same as in the 

 typical form of L. marginatum. Lycopcrdon pratense Pers. is also considered a synonym 



