706 AUSTRALIAN FAIRY-RING PUFF-BALL, 



cases where fungi suddenly appear in a new locality. It should 

 be looked for in the other colonies as well, and it would be 

 interesting to note if, under different conditions of soil and 

 climate, heat and moisture, it grows in the form of "fairy rings." 



Lycopbrdon furfuraceum, Schaeff. — Fairy-ring Puff-ball. 



Gregarious, often in clumps of three to five, often distorted 

 from mutual pressure, with the odour of mushrooms. Subglobose 

 to oblong, either depressed or somewhat elongated, variable in 

 size, up to 2^ in., broad and high, usually sessile on a broad base 

 of attachment with numerous root-like fibres, or tapering slightly 

 towards base, and with distinct brown root in young state. 



Outer peridium at first quite distinct and easily peeled off, 

 creamy-white, studded all over with closely crowded minute 

 conical spikes, which ultimately disappear, especially on top. 

 Inner peridium white at first, smooth, elastic, membranaceous, 

 finally of a greyish-green colour, dehiscing irregularly at top, or 

 forming at first an elongated oval slit. 



Cellular sterile base well-developed, about half the height of 

 peridium, compact, generally flat; pale seal-brown in mass; fila- 

 ments yellowish-green, flexuous, non-septate, very sparingly 

 branched, 2-2-i /j. broad, stained yellowish by potassium-iodide- 

 iodine. 



Capillitium well-developed, persistent ; threads pale green, 

 flexuous, septate, sparingly branched, branches sometimes at right 

 angles, very slender or up to 6 fi broad. 



Spores dark olive-green or bronze-green in mass, yellowish-green 

 individually, globose, smooth, rarely with hyaline pedicel, 3|-4 p 

 in diameter. Stained yellowish-brown by potassium-iodide-iodine. 



Near Melbourne, Victoria : in grassy places, on bowling-greens 

 and lawns, forming distinct fairy-rings; summer and autumn, 

 February-May. 



The shape and size were very variable ; sometimes it was 

 broader than high, and sometimes the height was one-half more 

 than the breadth. The sterile base is generally flat, and the inner 



