8 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



white spines, converging and often coherent at the apex ; the 

 spines at length fall away from the upper part of the peridium, 

 leaving the inner peridium with a smooth purplish-brown 

 shining surface, sometimes faintly reticulated. Subgleba 

 occupying about a third part of the peridium ; mass of spores 

 and capillitium at first olivaceous, then brownish-purple ; the 

 threads much branched, the main stem thicker than the 

 spores, the branches long, slender and tapering; spores 

 globose, minutely warted, 4.5-5.5 mic. in diameter. Plate I, 



Fig- 3- 



Growing in low grounds, in fields and woods. New En- 

 gland, Frost; Pennsylvania, Michener ; Maryland, James; 

 Ohio, Morsran; Wisconsin, Trclease ; Iowa, McBridc ; Ne- 

 braska, Webber ; Kansas, Cra^in. Peridium 1-2 j4 inches in 

 diameter and 1-2 inches in height. I have accepted this name 

 of the species on the assurance of Prof. Trelease, for the orig- 

 inal description of Berkeley is certainly quite inapplicable. 

 It has hitherto been generally known as L. Froslu, Peck. L. 

 rima-spinorjim, Cragin, does not appear to differ essentially. 

 L. asperrinium, W. & C, of the Pacific Coast Catalogue, is 

 quite likely another name applied to this species; and if this 

 is truly the species of the Fungi Angolenses it is a still older 

 name than the one here adopted. The fresh specimens of 

 this plant have a strong and not unplea.sant fragrance. 



b. Cortex composed of ton q^, slender coivergent spines. 



3. L. HiRTUM, Mart. Peridium broadly turbinate, de- 

 pressed above, contracted below into a short, thick, tapering 

 or pointed base, with a cord-like root. Cortex a dense coat of 

 soft .spines, long, slender and convergent above, becoming 

 shorter downward, gray or brownish in color; these finally 

 fall away, leaving the inner peridium with a brown or pur- 

 plish-brown smooth, shining surface. Subgleba occupying 

 from one-third to one-half of the peridium ; ma.ss of spores 

 and capillitium olivaceous, then brownish-inirjile; the threads 

 branched, the main stem about as thick as the spores, with 

 slender, tapering branches; .spores globose, distinctly warted, 

 5-6 mic. in diameter. Plate I, Fig. 2. 



Growing on the ground in woods. Peridium 1-2'^ inches 

 in diameter and i 'j-2 inches in height. This sjiecies in this 



