126 THE GASTEROMYCETES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 



ceous membrane or scurf which disappears only after much exposure. Buttons quite 

 spherical, not pointed, completely covered by humus and trash and retaining trash 

 over the whole or most of the surface after opening. Columella in the mature plant 

 represented by a small, subspherical, pale core some distance from the base. 



Spores (of No. 7093) dark smoky brown, spherical, very minutely asperulate, 

 many appearing smooth except under high power, 2.2-3.4//, most about 3/i. Capillitium 

 threads unbranched, about 5m thick, sometimes up to In, usually lighter than the spores, 

 but varying in color in plants of the same colony. 



This small Geaster grows usually in groups of several, not truly cespitose (rarely 

 crowded in twos or threes), in partly rotten leaves and trash under cedars or in mixed 

 woods. As is to be expected, specimens are found (rarely) that are not saccate but have 

 the outer peridium concave below. It also happens occasionally that the outer layer 

 may peel off completely. For both of these variations see plants from Lynn, England 

 (Plowright, coll.), at the New York Botanical Garden. 



In American herbaria this is often referred to G. saccatus. Lloyd thinks that G. 

 fimbriatus does not occur in America (The Geastrae, p. 37), though reported by Morgan 

 and others. However, as our plants agree clearly with this species in all important 

 points (indeterminate mouth, splitting of the outer peridium into two layers in part, 

 etc.) , we see no reason not to refer them to it. In cases where the paleness of the mouth 

 area is most pronounced as in plants from Buck Hill Falls, Pa. (see below) , some authors 

 might be inclined to call it definite, but there is no structural boundary and except for 

 color the mouth is exactly as in other forms. The European plant also has a tendency 

 to a paler mouth area. As Lloyd says, the mouth is no more fimbriate than in some 

 other species. The true European G. fimbriatus is represented by plants in Washington 

 (Path, and Myc. Herb.) from lower Austria collected by Zahlbruckner and determined 

 by Keissler. They are just like our plants. We have received from Patouillard another 

 typical European specimen (Jura) with spores minutely warted, 2.5-3.5/i thick. Still a 

 third (N. Y. Bot. Gard. Herb, from Herb, of Thiimen) has spores a trifle larger (3.4-4/u) 

 but is otherwise identical. It grew in coniferous woods and still shows fir leaves 

 attached. 



A European collection from Sydow (Flora Marchica, Charlottenburger Schloss- 

 garten, P. Sydow, coll.) labelled G. fimbriatus and now at the New York Botanical 

 Garden is not the plant we here describe, but G. lageniformis with much rougher spores 

 and determinate mouth. Our plants agree with Rea's description of G. fimbriatus 

 except in size of spores which he gives as 4-5/j. It is very likely that G. triplex (with 

 G. lageniformis) and G. fimbriatus have been often confused. 



Geaster rufescens is the nearest relative of G. fimbriatus, and large plants of the latter 

 might easily be referred to it. The thinner fleshy layer, more saccate form, and smaller 

 average size distinguish G. fimbriatus, but there may be connecting forms. Geaster 

 tunicatus as represented in Saccardo, Mycotheca italica, No. 1625 (Mendola; Bresadola, 

 coll.), is G. fimbriatus. The mouth is indefinite, the base saccate. The two species are 

 also treated as synonyms by Hollos. 



Illustrations: Berkeley. Outlines Brit. Fung., pi. 20, fig. 4. 



Cunningham. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 51: pi. 6, fig. 36. 



Destree. 1. c, pi. 10, fig. A. 



De Toni. 1. c, pi. 63, fig. P. 



Fries, Th. C. E. Sveriges Gasteromyceter, fig. 31. 



