109 



brown in color. Peck originally described this species as a Bovista in 

 INTO (Hot. Gaz. 4:lTii) but two yeai's later transferred it to tlie genus 

 Miicenafttnnii ( I>ot. (Jaz. r:L'40). It very evidently l)elongs in the group of 

 tumblers, the mature iilaiit liecr.ming loosened from the place of growth. 

 The Boiistclld (lcs( rilud in the foiegcing pariiLi'raiib normally remains at- 

 tached. As to wbetlier our American species Mi/ccndsfniiH ■spiniiJosuiu. is 

 identical with any foreign species there is some diversity of opinion. 

 Dr. Ii. Hollos, a Hungarian botanist, claims all foims of Miicmasfiiim to be 

 one species, of wiiicli the oldost nanu' is .1/. ('oriiiin. and be believes this 

 species to Ite cosmopolitan. I>loyd at Hrst disagreed but later practically 

 accepted this disposition. Dr. l-'.d. Fischer, however, in Engler & Prantl, 

 Natiirliclien I'flanzenfamilien recognizes about thirteen species of Myccmis- 

 frinii. M. Cariiiiu and .1/. xiiimth ssii m Ix'ing <-onsidered distim-t. ^Icllvaine 

 in his book. One Thousand American I^'ungi, observes that he has no report 

 upon the edil)ility of .1/. sii!itiil<isntii l)ut that it is probably good. 



The largest species of all, which is also the largest species of fungus 

 known, is connnonly known as the "giant puff-ball." It passes under such 

 a variety of scientific names that one scarcely knows which one to use. 

 There appear to be three imiKirtant specific names which have been pro- 

 posed, Bonistit, mu.riiii(i, and <ii(i<nit(<t. The latter two api)ear more appro- 

 priate but the first evidently has ]irir,rity. Tlcse sin-citic names with 

 some others have been variously combined with the genera Lycopcrdon, 

 Borista, (Jiohariu and CaJrvtid so as to make a long list of synonyms. In 

 the Academy papers already cited it has been referred to as ('(tiratia nif/an- 

 iea, Li/copo-don (jit/antciini. L. Bovixtmn, and Cahatia Borista. Without 

 attempting to enter into a discussion of the validity of the various genera 

 it may be said that there a])pear to be good reasons for separating some 

 forms frnni tlie old genus Liicoitcnloii, and if the genus Calvatia Fries 

 should be maintained, a jiroper name for the si)ecies under discussion 

 would apjiear to be ('(iJnif'ni lioristd ( L. ) rnderwond (T'rcc. Indiana 

 Acad. Science ISSSM.'!). In siiite of the fact tliat Lloyd says it is of 

 rather rare occurrence in the X'nited States it seems to hare been fre- 

 (luently collected in Indiana, rublished accounts indicate collections from 

 Montgomery, Noble, and Putnam Counties. To this list is now added Tip- 

 l)ecanoe County.' On October s, 1911, Mr. George Snyder brought in a 

 fine specimen of this fungus which he found growing on wet, peaty soil in 



^ In additidi'., .Johnson and Fulton counties were named by persons in the audi- 

 cncr when this |ia]ior wns being veaii. 



