L^coperdon.] FUNGI. 303 



sisteiit at the base, mouth narrowed, capillltium and sporidia 

 brown. Pers. Sy7U jd. 137. t. 3./. 1. Klotzsch ! Fung. Geim, 

 exs. n. 57. Fr, Syst. Myc. v. 3. p. 24. — Lye. ardosiacnim^ 

 Bull. i. 192. A. B. With. v. 4. p. 3o\.—Lyc. Bovista, tar. 2. 

 ardoaiaceum, Purl. v. 3. p. 273. 



On the ground, heaths and dry pastures. Not rare. Autumn. — 

 Generally smaller than the foregoing. 



75. Lycoperdon. Tourn. PufFball. 



Peridium membranaceous, with an adnate subpersistent bark, 

 within furnished at the base with a spongy sterile stratum. 

 CapiUUuon unequal. — Name of the same import as the " crepi- 

 tus Lupi" of the old Herbalists. 



1. L. gigdnteum, Batscl), {giant Puff-ball) ; peridium very- 

 brittle above very obtuse bursting in areolae evanescent, at 

 length broadly open, bark floccose subdistinct, flocci few eva- 

 nescent together with the olive dingy-brown[sporidia. Batsck, 

 Cont. \.f. 1G5. Pers. Syn.p. 140. * Fr. Syk Myc. v. 3. ;;.. 29. 

 — Lye. maxinntm^ Sc/ufff'. t. 332 (two upper Jig.). — L. Proteus, 

 var. 1. With. v. 4. pi 345. Part. v. S. p. 477 (in part). — 

 Bovista gigantea, Nees, f. 124. Grcv. Fl. Ed. p. 458. Scot. 

 Crypt. FL t. 336. 



in fields and plantations. Not very common. — Attaining a very 

 large size, often many feet in circun)ferencc, and filled with a loath- 

 some pidpy mass. It is placed in the genus Lycoperdon, because 

 of the spongy base, in consecjuence of which, when the sporidia arc 

 entirely dispersed, it resembles in form a large Peziza. A long and 

 very instructive account of this species is given by Fries in his Syst. 

 Myc. Among other points of interest he relates, that in individuals 

 injured when young by the reapers' sickles, a pale membranaceous web 

 is formed from ihacnpillHinm which fills up the wounds, forming septa, 

 which, if the wounds are numerous, divide the cavity into chajiibers, 

 and from this he infers the mode in which the sej)ta in Scltruderma 

 are formed, from the contraction of the inner mass, and in consequence 

 the insinuation of delicate white webs in the inier.sticcs formed arising 

 from the rnpUlitinrn. The white floccose veins in the Trnfjir may be 

 considered as somewhat analogous ; though in this case 1 believe the 

 interstices arc not accidental, whereas in Sc/eroder/na, if I may use the 

 phrase, they arc normally accidental. The cajfiddiu/n w ith the sporidia 

 is used for staunching' blood, and the spoufiy base for tinder. Tiic 

 upper stratum of the sj/oridia, which is exposed to light anil air, is 

 sometimes yellow, while all beneath is dingy-olive. 



2. Ij. cfrldfittny Bull, (rmhossed PuffbuU) ; peridium above 

 flaccid c(dlapsiiig obtuse, apex dehiscent at length ojX'U and 

 tMip-sliaped, barren slratum cellular, internal peridium distinct 

 from tii«' sparing nearly free c(dla[>sing capillitium, sporidia 

 dingy yell(»w-brown. Jhill. t. 430. Fr. Syst. Myc. r. 2. /;. 



32 Lt/c. qcmmutuin, nnoltdum and papiibdittHy Svh<r(f. t. 1{S9, 



190, IbG.— L. Dovisla, Pers. Syn.p. ill. .Nu.v,./. \lo.—Lyc. 



