44 GEASTER 



brownish olivaceous, echinulate, globose, 4//,. Columella brownish 

 olivaceous, short, globose. Capillitium olivaceous, fusiform, simple, 

 6-7 /it in diam. Woods and pastures. May Dec. Not uncommon. 

 (v.v.) 



var. minor Pers. Minor, smaller. 



Differs from the type in its smaller size. Woods. Sept. Oct. 

 Uncommon, (v.v.) 



II. Exoperidium splitting up into two portions, the lower 

 portion forming a hollow sphere at the base. 



66. G. coronatus (Schaeff.) Lloyd. Lloyd, The Geastrae, figs. 58-61. 



Coronatus, crowned. 



Exoperidium 2-5-5 cm., yellowish, then brown, globose, splitting up 

 into four rarely more, equal, pointed lobes, divided nearly to the 

 middle, lobes attached by their apex nearly perpendicularly to the 

 mycelial layer which remains in the ground and forms a hollow cup, 

 brown inside, fleshy layer becoming cracked and finally peeling off; 

 endoperidium 4-10 mm., bluish grey, sometimes whitish, or brownish, 

 oval, oblong, or pear-shaped, with an apophysis above its attachment 

 to the stem, apex pale yellow with a sharply defined zone bordering 

 the base of the fibrous, projecting peristome, surface often rough with 

 white crystals. Stem 2-3 x 2-6 mm., whitish, often compressed. 

 Spores brown, verrucose, globose, 4-5 /x. Columella brown with a 

 purplish tinge, slender, elliptical. Capillitium brown, cylindrical, 

 5-7 [A in diam. Densely gregarious. Amongst coniferous needles. 

 Sept. Oct. Locally common, (v.v.) 



67. G. fornicatus (Huds.) Fr. Trans. Brit. Myc. Soc. in, t. 17. 



Fornicatus, arched. 



Exoperidium 4-9 cm., yellowish, globose, both the outer and the inner 

 layers splitting up into 4-5 lobes, the outer layer remaining sunk in 

 the ground and forming a hollow cup, whilst the inner lobes, divided 

 beyond the middle, stand perpendicularly (erect) on the end of the 

 lobes attached to the tips of the outer layer, hard, leathery, thick, 

 dark brown inside, the fleshy layer cracking and peeling off in places ; 

 endoperidium 1-5-3-5 cm., rust colour, or dark brown, globose, de- 

 pressed, or urn-shaped, with a ring-like apophysis above its attach- 

 ment to the stem, somewhat downy. Peristome conical, then tubular, 

 scarcely furrowed, ciliate. Stem 2-5 x 4-15 mm., whitish, cylindrical, 

 often compressed. Spores purplish, echinulate. globose, 3-4jLt. Colu- 

 mella brown tinged with purple, slender, clavate. Capillitium brown, 

 fusiform, 10-1 2/u, in diam. Meadows, pastures, heaths and amongst 

 firs. March Nov. Uncommon, (v.v.) 



