SCLEEODERMA. 21 



FAM. II. 



SCLERODERMEAE. 



Peridium thick, dehiscing by splitting into lobes at the 

 apex, or usually by disintegration of the upper portion ; 

 gleba containing numerous cavities, tramal plates disappear- 

 ing or persistent, capillitium absent. Peridia appearing 

 above ground at maturity. 



Distinguished from the Hymenogastreae by the well-defined 

 sterile base of the peridium, which usually becomes elongated 

 into a stem-like structure, and by the mature peridium being 

 above ground. The spores are small, yet there is no special 

 arrangement for effecting their dispersion, although in this 

 respect the present order forms a transition between the 

 Hymenogastreae and the higher orders. 



SCLEEODERMA. Pers. (fig. 4, p. 20.) 



Peridium firm, covered with warts or scales, indehiscent 

 or splitting in an irregularly stellate manner at the apex ; 

 walls of trama subpersistent ; spores globose, warted. 



Scleroderma, Pers., Syn., p. 159; Mass., Mon. Gast., p. 49. 



Distinguished by the firm, corky peridium covered with 

 warts. 



Scleroderma vulgare. Fr. (fig. 4, p. 20.) 

 Subsessile, often depressed, plicate towards the base, 



peridium thick, white, verrucose or broken up into minute 



rigid scales ; trama white ; spores in the mass blackish with 



purple tinge, globose, warted, 9-11 /*. 



Scleroderma vulgare, Berk., Outl. 303, pi. 15, f. 4 (with 



Boletus parasiticuSy growing upon it) ; Cke., Hdbk. 1090, 



f. 116 ; Mass., Mon. Gast, p. 50, f. 45. 



Under trees, &c. Often cespitose, 1 to 3 in. across. 



Peridium variable, white or pale brown, often becoming 



pink when cut. Dehiscing by decay of upper portion of 



peridiurn. 



