THE PULL BALLS 



539 



Hy a heavy root-like growth. It is found growing on the ground in fields and 

 thin woods. When white through and through, sliced, rolled in egg and cracker 

 crumbs, and nicely fried, you are glad you know 7 a puffball. Found from August 

 to October. 



Figure 461. The sterile part of C. craniiformis. 



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Calvatia craniiformis. Schw. 

 Thl Brain-Shaped Calvatia. Edible. 



Craniiformis is from Cranion, a skull; forma, a form. 



The peridium is very large, obovoid or top-shaped, depressed above, the base 

 thick and stout, with a cord-like root. The cortex is a smooth continuous layer, 

 very thin and fragile, easily peeling off, pallid or grayish, sometimes with a reddish 

 tinge, often becoming folded in areas ; the inner peridium is thin, ochraceous to 

 bright-brown, extremely fragile, the upper part, after maturity, breaking into 

 fragments and falling away. 



The subgleba occupies about one-half of the peridium, is cup-chaped above 

 and for a long time persistent ; the mass of spores and capillitium is greenish- 

 yellow, then ochraceous or dirty olivaceous ; the threads are very long, about as 

 thick as the spores, branched. The spores are globose, even, 3-3.5^ in diameter, 

 with minute pedicels. Morgan. 



