THE SAPROPHYTIC FUNGI OF EASTERN IOWA. - x 



squamulose, deciduous: the inner peridium tough, rigid, long 

 persistent, at first reddish or reddish-brown, at length sil- 

 very, perfectly smooth, the dehiscence irregular, more or less 

 apical: sub-gleba none; spore-mass at first ochraceous then 

 brown, compact: capillitial threads short, much thicker than 

 the spores, branched, the branches acuminate: spores brown, 

 globose, nearly smooth, sometimes short-pedicelled. 5 u . 



Exceedingly common everywhere throughout the wooded 

 portion of Iowa and even in planted groves over the prairie. 

 The inner peridium persists indefinitely and becomes dehis- 

 cent only after long weathering and tossing about on the sur- 

 face of the ground, in this respect unlike an}- other puff-ball 

 of this region. 



B. nigrescens Pers. to which the present species is closely 

 related has pedicellate spores: otherwise just the same. It 

 may be fairly questioned whether B. fila is entitled to specific 

 rank. 



2. BOVISTA PLUMBEA PtVS. 



Sporocarp globose. ; 4-i T + inches in diameter, sessile, my- 

 celium-attached; outer peridium thin, smooth, falling away in 

 scales, only that part near the base remaining attached; inner 

 peridium papery, flexible, lead-colored, with a narrow ostiole; 

 capillitium and spores soft, loose, ochraceous then brown; 

 threads three to five times branched, branches long, straight; 

 spores long-pedicelled. rough especially toward the apex, 

 oval, about 5x7 "■ 



Very common on meadows, pastures and lawns, at first 

 white, the inner peridium clear lead-color, dehiscent by a 

 definite, but lacerate apical aperture, at first white-bordered. 

 Differs from the preceding in the color of the inner peridium 

 and in the spores rough and long-pedicellate. 



IV. CATASTOMA Morgan. 



Mycelium filamentous, proceeding from all parts of the 

 surface. Peridium subglobose. without a thickened base; 

 a fragile coat of looselv interwoven hyphae, after maturity 



