SOME SOUTH AFRICAN FUNGI. 347 



4. The genus Lanopila, Fr. 



This genus also belongs to the Bovistae or "tumbler puff- 

 balls,'' and was founded by Fries in 1848 for a fungus collected 

 in South Africa by Wahlberg and named Lanopila wahlbergii, 

 Fries. The genus is close to Bovista; in fact, so close that it is 

 doubtful if it is really distinct from it. In Bovista the capillitium 

 is composed of short, separate, much branched threads with slender 

 pointed branches, whereas in Lanopila the threads are long and 

 interwined and it is believed that they cannot be separated. This 

 appears to be the only difference between the two* genera. Since 

 described by Fries this fungus has been lost sight of, and our 

 collection is the first from South Africa from that date. The 

 genus is monotypio, all other described species being now referred 

 to Lanopila wahlbergii. 



Lanopila wahlbergii, Fr. 



Plants terrestrial becoming loosened from attachment at 

 maturity, without sterile base, subglobose, 5 cm. to 1.5 cm. 

 diameter; endoperidium, papery, potato colour, peeling off and 

 exposing the amber brown gleba composed of capillitium threads 

 and spores; capillitium of thin, branched and interwoven threads, 

 1.6/j, to 3/x diameter, forming a homogeneous elastic mass. Spores 

 globose, dark strongly echinulate, 5/x to 7/t diameter. 



The genus Lanopila is evidently close to the monotypic Indian 

 genus Lasiosphaera. The gleba and spores are the same in both. 



5. Hyrnenochaete lenuissima, Berk. 



Pileus sessile, imbricate, 3 mm. to 4 mm. long by 1 mm to 

 3 mm. broad, laterally connate, extremely thin and flexible, surface 

 zoned, furrowed, reddish-brown, villous; hymenium snuff brown; 

 setae projecting 20/x to 30/x, 4/x across at base, tapering to the 

 apex; spores (teste Massae) ellipsoid 5.6/x by 3/u,. 



This fungus appears to be rare in South Africa, and was 

 collected for the first time by W. Haygarth in the Forest of Zulu- 

 land in 1916. Its extreme thinness and flexibility are remarkable 

 and should assist in recognising it. 



6. Lji/coperdon djurense, P. Henn. 



Peridium globose to flattened, 1.5 cm. to 2.5 cm. diameter; 

 cortex closely warted, falling away in places or with age; sterile 

 base of large cells; gleba purple; capillitium hyaline, 5/x to 8/j, 

 diameter; spores globose, smooth, 3.8/x diameter. 



The specimens were collected by the writer at Schroeders, 

 Natal. The purple gleba is the distinguishing characteristic of 

 this Lycoperdon. 



7. 01adode?-ris sponr/iosa, Fries. 



This fungus was first described in 1848 bv Fries in his "Fungi 

 Natalensis." It appears not uncommon in the forests of Zulu- 

 land. The plant is recognised by the stipitate infundibuliform 



