198 



2. B. plumbea, P. B., pi. 20, f. 6. Bull., t. 192, a. b. 

 Common on downs and meadowa. 



The only British species. In this genus the whole interior mass 

 is fertile ; there is no sterile base as in Lycoperdon. 



Genus 66. Lycoperdon.* Tournfourt. 

 Peridium membranaceous, vanishing above, or becoming flaccid ; 



bark adnate, subpersistent, breaking up into scales or warts; 



capillitium adnate to the peridium and to the sterile base. 



1. Lycoperdon giganteum, Batsch. Grev. t. 336. This species, 

 which is rare in our district, is edible when young, and shovdd be 

 cut in thin slices and fried with butter, pepper, and salt, or in 

 batter ; it must be pure white when eaten, if at all coloured it 

 should not be used. Meadows. Batheaston. 



2. L. ccelatum, Fr. B. pi. 20, f. 7. Hues., ii., t. 23. Pastures. 

 Common. 



3. L. atro-purpureum, Vitt. Mon., 't. 2, f. 6. Leigh Down. 

 Bathford Hill. 



4. L, saccatum, Vahl. Huss. i, t. 14. Stoke, near Bristol. 

 Bathford Hill. 



5. L. gemmatum, Fr. Huss. i., t. 54. Meadows and downs. 

 Common. 



6. L. pyriforme, Schceff. Huss., i.,t. 70. Grev. t. 304. On 

 rotten stumps. Common. 



Our list includes six out of seven British species of this genus as 

 known up to the autumn of 1870, since which two species, 

 apparently new to Great Britain, have been met with, one by the 

 Rev. Mr, Sawyer, the other by Mr. Hoyle. One is considered to 

 be L. gemmatum, Batsch, var. y, echinatum, P. The two last- 

 named forms Mr. Berkeley looks on as distinct from the different 

 colour of the spores. 



Genus 67. ScLBRODEBMA.t P. 

 Peridium hard, clothed with an innate bark bursting irregularly ; 

 flocci adhering on all sides to the peridium, and forming distinct 

 veins in the central mass ; spores large, granulated. 



* Lycoperdon, from lukos, a wolf, and perdo, to crack or resound, 

 t Scleroderma, from scleros, hard, and derma, the skin. 



