KEY TO GASTEROMYCETALES 



IV. Superficial, or growing on wood or; 

 dung. Peridium campanulate, orj 

 cup-shaped, of one to three layers, I 

 inclosing lenticular peridiola, some- \ NIDULARIINEAE. 

 times attached by a funiculus, 

 and with or without a fugacious 1 

 epiphragm 

 Same characters as the suborder NIDULARIACEAE. 



PLECTOBASIDIINEAE. 

 (SCLERODERMINEAE.) 



V. Subterranean, or superficial. Peri- 

 dium globose, or variously shaped, 

 of one or more layers, sometimes 

 prolonged into a stem-like base. 

 Basidia irregularly scattered, some- 

 times intermixed with sterile veins 



A. Gleba pulverulent when mature. 



(a) Gleba traversed by sterile veins. 



Capillitium rudimentary. Peridiuml ScLERODERMATACEAE . 

 simple, rarely double J 



Capillitium well developed. Peri-1 CALOSTOMATACEAE . 

 dmm highly differentiated J 



(b) Gleba without sterile veins. 



Peridium of two layers produced) TuLOSTOMATACEAB . 



below into a stem-like base 



Peridium of one layer, sessile,! 



seated on a ring-like mass of my-h GLISCHRODERMATACEAE. 



celium J 



B. Gleba slimy when mature SPHAEROBOLACEAE. 



CLATHRACEAE. 



Receptacle sessile, forming a hollow, globose lattice Clathrus. 

 Receptacle stipitate, terminating in free arms, or) ^ ysurus 

 branches J 



Receptacle stipitate, crowned by a disc from which) 

 the arms radiate J 



PHALLACEAE. 



Gleba campanulate, adnate throughout to the re-'j Cynophallus. 

 ceptacle / (Mutinus.) 



Gleba campanulate, reticulate, free, attached by the] 

 apex to the receptacle J 



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