148 THE GASTEROMYCETES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 



Sphaerobolus stellatus var. giganteus Walker 



"Basidiocarps having the color, structure, and appearance of 5. stellatus but being 

 much larger — up to 4 mm. in diameter (usually about 3 mm.) of unopened basidiocarps 

 and 5-6 mm. from tip to tip of peridium in opened basidiocarps. Spores globular with a 

 slight apiculus, 5-7 x 6-8ju, mostly 6 x 7/t." 



Type locality: Starkville, Miss., on dung (horse?). 



Sphaerobolus iowensis Walker 



"Unopened basidiocarps 1-1.5 mm. in diameter. Peridium breaking stellately at 

 the apex into 3-8 parts (usually 4-5), the tips becoming only slightly recurved so that 

 the peridium of the opened fruit-body is somewhat cup-shaped. Interior of peridium 

 cadmium yellow when first opened, glebal mass raw umber when first exposed, soon 

 becoming almost black. Peridium separating into two regions, an outer and an inner. 

 Outer peridium during its development and at maturity composed of two layers, an 

 outer filamentous and an inner pseudoparenchymatic. Inner region of a layer of 

 tangential hyphae and a palisade layer. Gleba containing during its development many 

 definite chambers lined with basidia. Wall of glebal mass firm, composed of cells 

 6-15m in diameter. Contents of glebal mass soft and gluey, never drying hard. Spores 

 oval, 5-6 x 6-IOai (usually 5.6 x 8/u)." 



It is to be noted that Cunningham (1. c, p. 16), speaking of Australian plants that 

 he refers to S. stellatus, described the gleba as having "several" cavities separated by 

 thin walls and says that these cavities are lined with hymenium. Whether by several 

 he means many is not indicated by the figures. However, as his plant has the gelati- 

 nous layer in the peridium, it does not agree fully with 5. iowensis. 



Type locality: Hunters, Iowa, on old coniferous boards. 



