THE CEASTERS 



571 



Photo by C. G. Lloyd. 

 Figure 489. Geaster velutinus. 



Myriostoma col if or mis. Dick. 



Exporidium usually recurved, cut to about the middle into six to ten lobes ; if 

 collected and dried when first open, rather firm and rigid ; when exposed to weather 

 becoming- like parchment paper by the peeling off of the inner and outer layers. 

 Inner peridium, subglobose, supported on several more or less confluent pedicels. 

 Surface minutely roughened ; mouths several, appressed fibrillose, round, plain or 

 slightly elevated ; columella? several, filiform, probably the same in number as the 

 pedicels ; spores globose, roughened, 3-6 mc. ; capillitium simple, unbranched, long, 

 tapering, about ( half diameter of spores. 



The inner peridium with its several mouths can be, not inaptly, compared to a 

 '"pepper-box." The specific name is derived from the Latin colum, a strainer, and 

 the old English name we find in Berkeley "Cullender pufrball" refers to a cullender 

 (or colander more modern form) now almost obsolete in English, but meaning a 

 kind of strainer. Lloyd. 



Found in sandy soil. It is quite rare. Both the generic and specific names 

 refer to its many mouths. The specimens in Figure 490 were found on Green 

 Island, Lake Erie, one of the points where this rare species is found. It is found 

 at Cedar Point, Ohio, also. The plant was photographed by Prof. Schaffner of 

 the Ohio State University. 



