THE PUFF BALLS 



5(53 



and rayed mouth are 

 bright red when fresh, 

 partially fading in old 

 specimens. 



The spores are elliptical- 

 oblong, punctate-sculp- 

 tured, varying much as to 

 size in specimens from 

 different localities ; 6-8x 

 10-14 in West Virginia 

 specimens. Massachusetts 

 specimens, 6 - 8 x 12 - 20. 

 Lloyd. 



I have seen these speci- 

 mens growing in the 

 mountains in West Vir- 

 ginia. They quickly ar- 

 rest the attention because of their bright red caps. They seem not, as yet, to have 

 crossed the Alleghenies at least I have not found it in Ohio. It has a number 

 of synonyms : Scleroderma calostoma, Calostoma cinnabarinum, Lycoperdon 

 heterogeneum, L. calostoma. 



The plants in Figure 481 were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Mr. Geo. E. 

 Morris of Waltham, Mass., sent me some specimens early in August, 1907. 



Figure 481. Mitremyces cinnabarinus. Xatural size. 



C caster. Mich. 



Geaster, an earth-star; so called because at maturity the outer coat breaks its 

 connection with the mycelium in the ground and bursts open like the petals of a 

 flower; then, becoming reflexed, those petals lift the inner ball from the ground 

 and it remains in the center of the expanded, star-like coat. The coat of the inner 

 ball is thin and papery, and opens by an apical mouth. The threads, or capillitium, 

 which bear the spores proceed from the walls of the peridium and form the central 

 columella. The threads are simple, long, slender, thickest in the middle and 

 tapering towards the ends, fixed at one end and free at the other. 



The Geaster is a picturesque little plant which will arrest the attention of the 

 most careless observer. It is abundant and is frequently found in the late summer 

 and fall in woods and pastures. 



G caster minimus. Schw. 



The outer coat or exoperidium recurved, segments acute at the apex, eight to 

 twelve segments divided to about the middle. Mycelial laver usually attached, 



