THE SAPROPHYTIC FUNGI OF EASTERN IOWA. ,- 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF LYCOPERDON. 



I. Spores at maturity purplish brown. 



a. Outer peridium of long convergent spines. i. L. piixherrimi.m. 

 b Outer peridium of ^hort convergent spines or hairs. .... 



- . . . 2. L. ATROPURPUREUM. 



c. Outer peridium of minute spinules. . 3. L. ASTEROSPERMUm. 



</. Outer peridium a furfuraceous persistent coat. . 4. L. ELEGAKS. 



II. Spores at maturity olivaceous brown. 



A. Sporocarp turbinate, usually with >tem-like base. 



u. Outer peridium furfuraceous or with very small warts or spines, 

 inconspicuous. 



1. Sporocarp terrestrial. . .... 5. L. molle. 



2. Sporocarp lignatile. .... 6. L. pyriforme. 



b. Outer peridium showing conspicuous wart-like spines some long, 

 some bhort. 7. L. gemmatum. 



c. Outer peridium showing conspicuous spines convergent at the tip: 

 spores pedicellate . . . . . S. L. pedicellatim. 



B. Sporocarp more or less globoe. 



a. Outer peridium inconspicuous. ... 9. L. fisillim. 



b. Outer peridium of conspicuous converging spines. 10. L. pelkii. 



1. Lycoperdon pulcherrimum B. & C. 



Sporocarp obovoid. 1-1*2 inches in diameter, with a short 

 stout more or less pointed base; outer peridium consisting of 

 very long white spines, converging and generally coherent at 

 the apex, at length deciduous; inner peridium smooth, or fur- 

 furaceous. brown, sometimes sliu'htlv reticulate: sub-irleba one- 

 third of the entire fructification; gleba at first white then oli- 

 vaceous then purplish-brown: threads of the capillitium much 

 branched, main stem thicker than the spores, branches long, 

 slender, tapering: spores globose, minutely warted. usually 

 stalkless. about 5 u in diameter. 



Very common everywhere in low grounds. The species 

 easily distinguished by the character of its spines. Xo other 

 comes near to it in shagginess. The spines are deciduous 

 and at maturity, especially in wet weather, all fall off from above 

 downwards, leaving the bald, brown inner peridium to open, 

 somewhat irregularly, at the apex. 



2. Lycoperdon atropurpureu.m Vitt. 



Sporocarp sub-globose, 1-2 inches in diameter, often irregu- 



