

MYCOLOGICAL NOTES. 



BY C G. L-LOYD. 



No. 20. 

 CINCINNATI, O. JUNE, 1905. 



THE LYCOPERDONS OF THE UNITED 

 STATES. 



CHARACTERS : Having given the general characters of the 

 genus Lycoperdon on page 205 in connection with the species of Europe, 

 we will only add a few lines in reference to spores and gleba colors. 

 Jn a general way the spores of Lycoperdon can be divided into two 

 classes, ist, The large, rough spores 6-8 mic. and 2nd, the small or 

 medium (4-5 mic.) smooth or slightly rough spores. No one should 

 ever confuse members of the ist series for the nature of the spores 

 is evident even under a low power. The 2nd series, however, is often 

 very difficult to determine even with the best objective. A number of 

 species have smooth spores in specimens usually collected, which become 

 "slightly rough" in fully matured specimens. 



The color of the gleba is the source of more trouble even than 

 the spores, and to divide the genus into "purple" and "olive" spored 

 series leads to many errors. Some species (echinatum, etc.), have 

 gleba that quickly turns purple and they all have large, rough spores 

 so that they are readily recognized. With other species of the atro- 

 purpureum type, the gleba changes very slowly and only reaches the 

 purple stage if the plant ripens in situ. If the plant is collected before 

 it is fully ripe the color change is arrested, so that plants of this type 

 are liable to be referred to the "olive" series. In addition, plants of the 

 gemmatum type, ordinarily dark umber when fully ripe, will occasion- 

 ally develop a slight, purple, tinge in old or weathered specimens. 



HISTORY: There have been three important papers on the 

 American Lycoperdons. 



First, by Prof. Peck in the 32nd Report (1879). This is a very 

 plain description of the species that he had seen and studied as they 

 grew, and in my opinion is the best account that has appeared. Prac- 

 tically the same paper, to which was added a compilation of species 

 described which he had not met, was published (Trans. Albany Inst. 

 Vol. 9, 1879), under the title "United States Species of Lycoperuon." 



Second, Prof. Trelease published a paper on "The morels and puff- 

 balls of Madison (Wise.)" in Trans. Wise. Acad. of Science, 1889. It 

 was a good paper and brought out a number of new facts and in the 

 main the determinations are correct. Unfortunately, it was illustrated 

 with most miserable figures. 



Third, Prof. Morgan wrote an account of the United States Lyco- 

 perdons in Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. History (1891). Prof. Morgan made 



UNIVERSITY oFfcALIFORNIA 



AT LOS ANGELES 



