'Puff balls 



like coat. The coat of this ball is thin and papery, and opens by 

 one apical mouth. The threads or capillitium, which bear the 

 spores, project from the tissue of the inner wall and also from a 

 central columella. 



The Geasters have no economic value, but are rather inter- 

 esting to the nature student on account of their beauty and their 

 curious methods of discharging their spores. 



The Smallest Earth-star 



> 



Geaster minimus (SEE PLATE FACING PAGE 135) 



Peridium or Pouch Globose, depressed, not pointed; vaulted 



underneath. 

 Bark or Outer Coat Segments acute at the apex, many lobed ; 



the lobes, seven to nine, expanding j^-i inch. 

 Inner Coat Ovoid, %-i inch in diameter, white to pale brown, 



with a distinct pedicel, seated in a plain circular disk. 

 Mouth Lifted on a cone, lip bordered with hair-like fringe. 

 Spores Brown, globe-shaped, minutely waited. 

 Threads Transparent. 

 Habitat Grassy grounds. 



Water-measuring Earth-star (Dangerous) 



Geaster hygrometricus (SEE PLATE FACING PAGE 135) 



Peridium or Pouch Sub-globose, depressed, the bark or skin fall- 

 ing with the mycelium. 



Bark or Outer Coat Deeply parted ; the segments, acute at the 

 apex, seven to twenty. Mrongly hygrometric, expanding to 

 a breadth of 2-3 inches. 



Inner Coat Globose, depressed, sessile, covered with a network. 

 Whitish or greyish. 



Mouth Rim irregular. 



Spores Brown, globe-shaped, minutely warted. 



Threads Transparent, much branched and interwoven ; continu- 

 ous with the hyphae or threads of the inner coat, 



Habitat Fields and woods, in sandy soil. 



The Geaster hygrometricus, or Astrceus hygrometricus as it 

 is called by some, is found all over the world. When the 



MXn'-I-mtts Hf .gr6-mt'-rf-ctis 



130 



