12 FUNGUS-FLOEA. 



FAM. I. 



HYMENOGASTREAE. 



Peridium indehiscent ; gleba consisting of numerous 

 irregular cavities; capillitium absent ; subterranean. 

 Hymenogastreae, Tul., Fl. d'Alg. i. p. 394. 

 Mass., Mon. Gast., p. 31. 

 Hypogaei, Berk., Outl., p. 292. 



Most of the species are of an irregular spherical form, and 

 in many cases originate from a fleecy weft of mycelium. 

 Most species grow under trees, and several have only been 

 met with in close proximity to certain kinds of trees, which 

 suggests the probability of commensalism, as already known 

 to exist between the subterranean species of Elaphomyces and 

 fir-trees. The basidia are very variable in form and in the 

 number of sterigmata. The spores are remarkable, as a rule, 

 for their very large t-ize, dark colour and markings. The 

 ]>eridium is not differentiated into layers in connection with 

 spore-diffusion, and decays to liberate the spores. 



OCTAVIANIA. Vitt. (fig. 1, p. 11.; 



Peridium cottony, sterile base distinct ; trama byssoid 

 with a tendency to split ; cavities at first empty, small 

 towards the circumference, central ones larger and irregular ; 

 spores rough. 



Octaviania, Vitt., Mon. Tub., p. 15 (in part); Mass., Mon. 

 Gast., p. 31. 



Characterised by the distinct sterile base, the byssoid 

 septa, and in the cavities being at first empty. 



Octaviania asterosperma. Vitt. (fig. 1, p. 11.) 

 Subglobose or irregular, whitish, becoming bluish-black 



in places, sterile base distinct ; cavities irregular, central 



ones largest; spores globose, warted, brown, 1415, p.. 



Octaviana asterosperma. Vitt., Mon. Tub., t. iii. p. 7 ; Cke., 



Hdbk., n. 1045 ; Berk., Outl. 292 ; Mass., Mon. Gast., p. 31, 



i. 2. 



