62 NATURAL HISTORY RULLETIN. 



I. NlDULARIA PULVINATA (Sc/lW.) Fries. 



Sporocarps 6-12 mm. wide, scattered, orbicular, pulvinate, 

 closed, testaceous, sordid-brown, pulverulent; the sporangia 

 of various shapes, compressed, at length, cinereous black. 



Specimens referred to this species may prove to be new to 

 science. The description from Schweinitz, here quoted from 

 Saccardo, is too brief for positive identification. Still with 

 the descriptions our specimens correspond fairly well. The 

 peridia are gregarious, often confluent, pale ferruginous, the 

 walls exceedingly thin and evanescent, at first dusty or floccu- 

 lose, disappearing irregularly from above downwards. The 

 peridioles are very numerous, heaped, at first pale, at length 

 dull-black, oblately spherical, polished, shining. 



Collected only once in Johnson county, Iowa, on a rotten 

 oak log. 



VII. PHALLOIDEiE. 



Sporocarp at first ovoid, solid, white, subterranean, attached 

 below by root-like mycelial strands; peridium three-fold, an 

 outer and inner coat with a gelatinous intermediate layer; 

 gleba chambered, at first surrounding then surmounting the 

 central columnar receptacle ; peridia dehiscent irregularly above 

 by the upward expansion of the receptacle, the gleba thus 

 borne aloft; capillitium none, the gleba deliquescing and 

 falling from the receptacle in drops; plants generally of offen- 

 sive odor. 



Plants of this family, commonly called in English, " stink- 

 horns," are widely distributed, perhaps throughout the world. 

 In Europe few, in North America more abundant, they reach 

 their highest development and show the greatest diversity of 

 form and habit in the southern hemisphere, more especially in 

 Africa and Australia. Their curious forms, often brilliant colors, 

 and above all the pungently offensive odor, as of carrion, 

 characterizing most of them, brings them into general notice; 

 while to the naturalist they possess especial interest as evinc- 

 ing the most complex structure, the highest degree of differ- 



