LYCOPERDON DESMAZIERES* (Plate 49). An elon- 

 gated, cylindrical form of Lycoperdon piriforme is rather frequent in 

 Europe but much rarer in America. It has every character of the usual 

 form excepting the strong development of the sterile base and its 

 elongated shape. 



The plant is represented in several museums in Europe through 

 Desmazieres' exsiccatae where it is called Lycoperdon piriforme var. 

 excipuliforme. We do not use such a cumbersome name, and excipuli- 

 forme cannot be used as a binomial on account of uncertainty now 

 attached to this name in the literature of Europe. 



Specimens in our Collection. 



Sweden, C. G. Lloyd. England, Annie L. Smith. 

 Belgium, Madame Rousseau. Germany, Johanna Schultze-Wege. 

 Switzerland, Denis Cruchet. France, L. Rolland. 



LYCOPERDON SEROTINUM* (Plate 50). A form of piri- 

 forme occurs in which the cortex is broken up into areas. We call 

 this serotinum, following Hollos, but know nothing as to Bonorden's 

 plant. We are not sure but this is also tessellatum but we shall re- 

 serve this name to apply to a form with indurated areas (Plate 50) 

 which we know only from America. 



Specimens in our Collection. 

 Sweden, L. Romell. 



THE "PRATENSE" SECTION. 



LYCOPERDON PRATENSE (Plate 34). Plant depressed, 

 globose, bowl-shaped. The peculiar shape which this plant takes (see 

 plate 34), is characteristic. Cortex of short spines (about 2 mm. 

 long), which fall' away from the old specimens leaving the peridium 

 smooth. Peridium opening by a large, irregular mouth.J Sterile base 

 broad, of large cells separated from the fertile portion by a distinct 

 diaphragm. Gleba olive then brown. Capillitium hyaline (or faintly 

 colored), branched, sparingly septate threads. Spores globose, smooth, 

 light colored, very uniform .in size, 4 mic. 



This is a common species in Europe but I could not trace it back 

 definitely in European history beyond Vittadini. It is certainly his 

 Lycoperdon hiemale but unfortunately, he took the name from Bul- 

 liard's plate, which, almost as certainly is not this plant. There is a 

 tradition 1 1 in Europe that it is Persoon's Lycoperdon pratense and we 



tin its dehiscence the species is intermediate between Calvatia and Lycoperdon. 

 A peculiar character by which the species is easily known. Only distinctly marked in 

 one other European species, L. cruciatum. 



1 1 All the indications that I could find point toward the truth of this tradition. It is so 

 labeled in Desvaux's herbarium and he was contemporary and a co-worker with Persoon. 

 Persoon's figure represents the shape and size well though the smooth surface is broken into 

 little areas, a character the plant never takes in my observation. Persoon left no certain 

 specimens but there are four specimens in his herbarium all labeled with a doubtful mark. 

 I did not recognize them. Persoon states that the plant "comes in dry places and herbs and 

 even in the woods among grass," (around Paris). This plant is common there to-day. Dr. 

 Hollfis refers Persoon's species to Lycoperdon cruciatum (or rather Lycoperdon cruciatum 

 to it) but that species has never been' collected about Paris. 



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