SCLERODERMATACEAE 165 



formed by U irregular cracking of the outer surface of the pcridium; rooted by a dense 

 mass of entangled mycelioid cords, and opening when mature by irregular cracks and 

 lobes. Glebadark yellowish brown (sepia of Ridgw.); tramal plates yellow and quite 

 persistent. 



Spores (of plant from Smith's Island) spherical, 11-18. 5m (including the reticulum), 

 the majority between 12.5m and 14m thick, with a coarse reticulum, surrounded by a 

 semi-transparent, pale yellow substance; treated with KOH solution the spore becomes 

 lighter, the reticulum clearer, and the gelatinous material swells considerably. 



The distinguishing characters of the plant are its smooth to minutely areolated 

 yellow surface, thick peridium (even when dry) which is white in section, long thick 

 root, olive-brown spore mass mixed with yellow trama, and the large and coarsely re- 

 ticulated spores. For a comparison with S. bovista, sense of Hollos, see that species. 

 The species can readily be distinguished from 5. lycoperdoides by the larger size, more 

 yellow color, paler and far less conspicuous areolations, and by the strongly reticulated 

 spores. Scleroderma cepa, which is about the same size and color, differs (when dry) 

 in the thinner and less brittle peridium, more reddish spore mass and non-reticulated 

 spores; S.flavidum differs in the much paler straw color, coarsely cracked surface, and 

 non-reticulated spores; 5. aurantium has a much rougher surface, and when dry a 

 thinner and less brittle peridium. 



We have compared our plant with a good example in Bresadola's herbarium col- 

 lected by him in Europe, and find them just alike in appearance and spores, which are 

 in the latter 9.3-14m thick, not counting the reticulum which is up to 3fi high. 



North Carolina. Smith's Island. No. 5920. In very sandy soil near the sea, December 28, 1921. 



(U. N. C. Herb.) 

 Canada. London. Dearness, No. 13SB. (U. N. C. Herb.) 



Pelee. Dearness, No. 4826. (U. N. C. Herb.) Spores 12-25^, most about 19m, reticulated. 



Scleroderma aurantium (Vaill.) Pers. 

 5. vulgar e Horn. 



Plates 91 and 120 



Fruit body about 2-5 cm. thick, subspherical and usually compressed horizontally, 

 plicate below and rarely lobed, sessile and attached by a thick mass of fibers; peridium 

 yellowish ochraceous or brownish, thick (about 2 mm.) when fresh and turning pink 

 when cut (when dry less than 1 mm. thick), the surface cracked into distinct areolations 

 which may or may not have a central wart, the warts and areolations often arranged in a 

 beautifully embossed pattern; after maturity slowly cracking into irregular lobes which 

 do not open in a stellate way. Gleba gray then nearly black, the tramal plates white. 



Spores (of No. 5622) blackish brown, strongly reticulated, 8-1 1m thick, not counting 

 the reticulum w^hich is 1.5-2m high. 



This is recognized by its verrucose and usually distinctly warted surface, thickish 

 peridium which turns pink when cut in the fresh state, white tramal plates and re- 

 ticulated spores. It is nothern in its range and in the south we have found it only in 

 the mountains. It grows in either deciduous or coniferous woods, but seems to prefer 

 mossy humus or very rotten wood under hemlock, spruce or pine. This is the species 

 that is occasionally parasitized by a Boletus (B. parasiticus) and we have found a fine 

 example of this condition at Blowing Rock (see Journ. E. M. Sci. Soc. 42: pi. 48. 

 1927). 



