North American Fioi^i. 141 



NORTH AMP:RICAN FUNGI. 

 By a. p. Morgan. 



Fifth Paper. 



{Coil ti mud from ]'o/. XIJI., p. 21.) 



(Read I'ebrviary 2, 1892.) 



THE GASTROMYCETES. 



Genus X. — Bovistella, Morg., nov. gen. 



Mycelium funicular, rooting from the base. Peridium sub- 

 globose, with a well-developed base ; cortex a dense floccose 

 subpersistent coat; inner peridium thin, membranaceous, 

 dehiscent by a regular apical mouth. Subgleba cellulose, 

 cup-shaped above and definitely limited, persistent; capilli- 

 tium originating within the tissue of the gleba ; the threads 

 free, short, several times dichotomously branched, the main 

 stem thicker than the diameter of the spores, the branches 

 tapering; spores small, globose or oval, even, pedicellate. 



A puff ball of moderate size, growing in fields and open 

 woods; it has the peridium of a Lj^coperdon and the capilli- 

 tiuni of a Bovista. The threads of the capillitium originate 

 within the tissue of the gleba, along with the spores, and 

 after deliquescence are left perfectly free within the peridium ; 

 they are altogether different from the slender subhyaline 

 hyphse which compose the wall of the inner peridium and 

 have no connection with them. 



I. B. Ohiensis, Ellis & Morgan. Peridium globose or 

 broadly obovoid, sometimes much depressed, plicate under- 

 neath, with a thick cord-like root. Cortex a dense floccose 

 coat, sometimes segregated into soft warts or spines, white or 

 grajash in color ; this dries up into a thick bulT-colored or 

 dirty ochraceous layer, which gradually falls away, leaving a 

 smooth, shining pale-brown or yellowish surface to the inner 

 peridium. Subgleba broad, ample, occupying nearly one-half 

 the peridium, a long time persistent; mass of spores and 

 capillitium lax, friable, clay-color to pale-brown ; the threads 



