346 SOME SOUTH AFRICAN FUNGI. 



The warts on the spores are very fine and most evident under 

 an oil immersion lens. This fungus is common in the bush around 

 Durban, though previous collectors do not record it. It is included 

 in the "fornicate" section of the genus which has as its charac- 

 teristic the segments of the outer peridium arching over the 

 mycelial layer, which persists more or less as a cup at the base. 



The plant originally is buried in the rich leaf mould in which 

 it is commonly found, the cup formed mycelial investment remains 

 in the substratum and the turned back segments of the outer peri- 

 dium rest on the edges of this cup-shaped mycelial investment. 



Geasier saccatiis, Fries. 



Exoperidium cut into six to ten segments for about half its 

 length, base deeply saccate; endoperidium sessile, globose, 0.7 cm. 

 to 1 cm. in diameter, ashy grey; mouth as in preceding species 

 seated on a definite circular area differing in colour from the rest 

 of the surface; spores,, dark brown in mass, globose, rough with 

 minute projections to practically smooth, 3/x diameter; capillitium 

 of unbranched tubes as in previous species. 



This species is common around Pretoria and occurs also in 

 the midlands of Natal. With other species it is placed in the 

 section Saccatus owing to the base of the exoperidium remaining 

 as a cup in which is the endoperidium. In the majority of 

 Geasters the exoperidium is turned back away from the endoperi- 

 dium and the saccate species number only four. 



3. The genus Catastoma. 



The genus Catastoma belongs to the Lycoperdaceae, or "puff- 

 ball" family, and is, with other genera, placed in the tribe Bovistae. 

 This tribe embraces those puff-balls which at maturity become 

 loosened from their place of growth and may thus be moved along 

 the ground by the wind. They are for this reason also known as 

 the "tumbler puff-balls." There are about three species of Catas- 

 toma in South Africa, and the one described differs from all the 

 others in that the inner peridium opens by a protruding mouth. 



Catastoma anomala. 



Plants terrestrial, becoming loosened from attachment at 

 maturity, globose; outer peridium breaking away irregularly, more 

 or less persistent at base; endoperidium ash coloured, globose, 

 1 cm. to 1.5 cm. diameter, opening by a strongly protruding 

 mouth; spores in mass amber brown, globose, 4^ diameter, smooth: 

 capillitium of light coloured, undulating, short unbranched 

 threads with blunt ends, of same diameter as the sports. The 

 capillitium threads as above recorded are characteristic of the 

 genus Catastoma. I find that the spores are smaller than those 

 usually recorded for this species (6jx to 7/x). The spores are said 

 to be slightly rough but are smooth in my specimen. The specimen 

 was collected at about 115 feet above sea level. The species occurs 

 in other countries. 



