300 FUNGI. [Geasler. 



On the ground. Rare. In the lane from Crayford to Bexley com- 

 mon. Doody in Rai Syn. Hami)ton Court, MerreL Sandy banks 

 at Mettingham, Suffolk. Gillingham and Earsham, Norf. Messrs. 

 Stone and Woodward. Hanley Castle, Wore. Messrs. Ballard and 

 liulfbrd.— There is no difficulty in distinguishing this fine and curious 

 species, which is remarkable for its numerous peduncles and orifices. 

 The peduncles are compressed, somewhat branched, and appear to bear 

 a definite relation to the number of orifices, which, as far as 1 can judge 

 from imperfect dry specimens, resemble those of Geaster riifescens more 

 than of any other species. The lining of the outer peridium is said 

 to resemble curd and to be foetid ; a portion of this in the dry plant 

 remains sometimes entangled among the peduncles when it has com- 

 pletely vanished elsewhere. 



** 3Iouth pUcaio-sidcate, conical. 



, 2. G. fornicdtus, Huds. (turreted Starr?/ Piiffhall) ; outer 

 p'endiuui mostly quadrifid with its inner coat separable and at 

 length inverted and fixed to its apices, inner peridium pedun- 

 culate somewhat pyriform, mouth conical striated. Fr. Sysf. 

 Myc. V. S. p. 12. — Lycop. forriica/inii, Huds. Fl. Aug. 2. p. 644. 

 With. V. 4. p. 344. Bryant, Hist. f. 14, 15, 16, 17, 20. 

 Woodtv. Lc.p.6^. Sow. t. 198. Purt. v. 2 S^ 3. 7i. 1074.— 

 Lye. coronatum, SchcEff. t. 183.— Cef/s^er, c^c, Wats. Phil. Tr. 

 V. 43. p. 234. t 2. / 9, 10. — Lye. volvam refiectens ore pecii- 

 nato. Schmid. t. 37./. 1— 4.— ,/3. multifidus. Schmid. Ic. t. 37. 

 /. 13, 14. Bryant, Hist.f. 14. 17. 



In meadows and pastures, also on the bare ground amongst leaves. 

 Tsot uncommon in Suffolk and Norfolk. This species, though easy 

 enough to determine in the perfect state, is sometimes puzzling when 

 young. l! is distinguished from G. Bryantii by the absence of a groove 

 round the top of the stem, which in that species is always visible, even 

 in the unexpanded plant, on making a vertical section, and from G. Urn- 

 hatns by the different structure of the mouth. The outer coat of the 

 volva remains so firmly attached to the ground during the expansion of 

 the plant, that the inner separates and is inverted and fixed by the tips 

 of its stellate lobes, to those of the outer coat. 



3. G. stridtus, Dec. (grooved Starry Puff ball) ; outer peri- 

 dium simple spreading, inner subpedicellate, mouth prominent 

 connate sulcate striate. Dee. Fr. 2. p. 267. I^r. Syst. Myc. 



V. 3. p. 13 |S. minor. Fr. I. c. p. 14. ffooh. Ft. Lond. N. S. 



aim Ic. 



li. Sandy Denes near Yarmouth, abundant. Bungay, Mr. Stock. 

 — I do not know exactly what is the original G. striatiis of M. De 

 Candolle : but our plant entirely accords with the /3. of Fries. It differs 

 from G. liynhatus in the different nature of the orifice, and from G. 

 Bryantii by the want of the channel round the top of the stem, which 

 I am inclined to consider as of great importance. In its younger state, 

 before the inner coat of the volva is dried up, it would probably appear 

 quite sessile. 



4. G. Bryantii, Berk. {Mr. Bryant's Starry Pi ff ball) ; outer 



