NOTICES OF NORTH AMERICAN FUNGI. 35 



Stem about three inches high, obtuse below, swelling in the 

 middle where it is J inch thick; attenuated within the pileus; 

 floccose, somewhat fulvous, pileus ovate, cinereous, 1^ inch high 

 and wide; membranaceous below, append ieul ate; hymenium black; 

 spores minute, globose, even, '0002 inch in diameter. Polyangium 

 vitellinum } Sehwein., is a Physarum. 



* Cauloglossum transversarium. Fr.— Car. Inf. No. 2C7. In 

 wet, sandy places. Dull brownish yellow. 



* Batarrea phalloides. P. — On sand, about eight miles south of 

 San Francisco. Prof. J. Torrey, No. G527. 



Head about 2 inches across, stem -^ an inch thick. 



* Geaster rufescens. Fr. — South California, Emory. No. 6398. 



* Geaster hygrometricus. P.— New, Mexico Wright. Fort Carl- 

 ton. Car. Inf. No. 37, 165, 2580. Texas, Drummond. 



* Geaster limbatus. Fr. — Alabama, Peters. No. 6053. 



* Geaster fimbriatus. Fr.— Car. Inf. No. 3025, 3853. 



\M* 



TWO SPECIES OF GEASTEE * 



By Worthington G. Smith, F.L.S. 



Geaster Michelianus. W. G. 8. — Outer peridium pale buff, 

 thick, fleshy, generally splitting into five or six sub-equal laciniae, 

 clothed on the outside with a thin, dark brown bark, w r hich again 

 splits into elegant honeycombed patterns ; inner peridium pale 

 slatey buff, spherical ; mouth prominent, obtuse dentate, paler in 

 colour than the .body of the inner peridium ; spores tuberculoso- 

 eeliimilate.— W. G. Smith, in Gard. Chron. No. 18 (1873), with fig. 

 G. tunicatus Michelianus, Erbar. Critt. Ital. Nos. 343 and 979. 

 Mich. t. 100,/. 1. Cooke Handb. No. 1079. 



On the ground. 



Spores -00014" diameter. When mature, and when the outer 

 peridium bursts, this plants sometimes throws itself 9 inches away 

 from its place of growth. Plate XIII. 



Geaster lagensefoimis. Vitt. — Outer peridium splitting to the 

 middle, in nearly equal acuminate Jaciniaa, inner stratum very thick, 

 evanescent; inner peridium sessile, flaccid; mouth determinate, 

 piano-conic, ciliato-fimbriate, columella rather long, clavate. — Vitt. 

 Monog. Lycop. t. 1,/. 2. Payer./. 519, 520. 



On the ground. 



In infancy the plant strongly resembles an antique jar with a 

 narrow month, hence the specific name. Spores perfectly round 

 and Bphaerical, thus differing from the majority of Geasters ; they 

 measure •00012* diameter. Plate XIV. 



* For the use of the figures illustrating this communication we are indebted to 

 the kindness of the Editor of the " Gardeners' Chronicle." 



