THE SAPROPHYTIC FUNGI OF EASTERN IOWA. .± 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF CALVATIA. 



I. Peridium entirely sessile. 



d. Outer peridium covered with rine white granules or smooth. 



I. C. BOVISTA. 



/'. Outer peridium areolate with white patches. . 2. C. pachydermim. 



II. Peridium with a short thick stem-like, base. 



A. Spores purple. ...... 3. C. cyathiformis. 



IJ. Spores olivaceous. 



11. Peridium breaking stellately. .... 4. C. c.elatim. 

 b. Peridium breaking irregularly. 



1. Outer peridium areolate with abundant brown scales. 



5. C. HIEMALIS. 



2. Outer peridium granular. . . . 6. C. craniiformis. 



i. Calvatia bovista (Liiui.) Macbride. 



Sporocarp sessile, mycelium-attached, globose or subglobose, 

 large, 10-20 inches in diameter; outer peridium a delicate, 

 scarce distinguished, closely adherent layer; inner peridium 

 thin, at first tough, leather}-, at length exceedingly fragile, 

 breaking from above downwards, white then olivaceous or 

 brownish: capillitium comparatively scant, the threads long, 

 septate, much branched, greater than the spores; spore-mass 

 dark olivaceous-brown, long persistent; spores minute, nearly 

 smooth, 3-45 ,/. 



This is t,he " giant puff-ball " of all the world. It occurs 

 on meadows, lawns, pastures and sometimes in open wood- 

 lands, and might be rather common save for the perversity of 

 some people who take pleasure in destroying natural objects, 

 especially such as are large enough to attract the attention 

 of their obtuse faculties. When young the gleba of speci- 

 mens of this species is perfectly white, clean, rich in proto- 

 plasm and when properly cooked, delicately flavored and nutri- 

 tious. The peculiar power of self-restoration possessed by 

 the sporocarp may be made use of in such way that slices for 

 the table may be taken from a specimen day after day with- 

 out serious injury to the fungus, and this may be continued as 

 long as the tissues continue growing. Once deliquescence 

 sets in the tissues are, of course, no longer edible. 



Specimens often occur in groups, gregariously, as many as 

 twenty or thirty within the limits of an acre. In such cases 

 IY— 1 D 



