The following species of epigean geasters appear to me to be only forms 

 of the same species. They all agree in the main characters. All are epigean, 

 all are globose when youn^, all have sessile endoperidia. all have peculiar, 

 velutinate exoperidia, all have strong, club-shaped coJumellae (rarely seen in 

 any other geaster). They differ from each other chiefly in color, in degrees 

 of development 'or 'the velutinate surfaces of the exoperidia, and one has an 

 indefinite mouth. 



GEASTER VELUTINUS (Plate 101). Unexpanded plants, 

 globose, sometimes slightly pointed at the apex. Mycelium basal. 

 Exoperidium rigid, membranaceous, firm, light-colored (white when 

 fresh). Surface with short, dense, appressed yelumen. The outer 

 and inner layers of the exoperidium are very much the same texture 

 and thickness and usually separate partially (sometimes entirely) from 

 each other in the mature plant. Endoperidium globose, sessile, with a 

 definite, even mouth. Columella clavate. 



Geaster velutinus is not a rare plant in the United States, grow- 

 ing over leaf mould in rich woods. The mycelium at the. base is 

 strongly developed (See Plate 100, Fig. i), but it does' not, I think, 

 ever form a matted layer as in Geaster mirabilis. The expanded plants 

 have a general, similar appearance to Geaster saccatus, but can be 

 readily distinguished by observing the surface of the exoperidium. 5 



FORMS. As previously stated, I can not but consider 'a'll the following 

 as forms of the same plant. All have the same general nature, but differ among 

 themselves chiefly in color and development of the velumen. 



GEASTER WELWITSCHII (Plate 101). As Geaster velutinus occurs 

 in the temperate portions of the United States, it is a saccate species. The two 

 layers of the exoperidium are more or less adherent, separating only partially and 

 at" the tips of the segments. When the plant extends to Florida it takes a more 

 highly developed form. The inner (fibrillose) layer of the exoperidium sepa- 

 rates and arches up over the outer (mycelial) layer, and the plant takes the 

 form known as fornicate. Otherwise the plants are the same, and I have 

 seen the fornicate and saccate forms in the same collection from Florida. 



History. This plant was first collected in Spain by Welwitsch, and 

 this is the only collection known from Europe, the normal form (Geaster 

 velutinus) never having been found in Europe. These specimens came into 

 Berkeley's hands, who determined them as Geaster fimbriatus, 6 and sent a spec- 

 imen to Montagne, who described it as Geaster Wehvitschii. When the same 

 fornicate form reached Berkeley from America, he called it Geaster radicans, 

 tinder which name it appears in our Geaster pamphlet, page 31. 



GEASTER CAESPITOSUS (Plate 100). This for me is only a small, 

 caespitose form of Geaster velutinus. I collected it originally near Cincin- 

 nati, and have received it but rarely from correspondents. 



GEASTER JAVANICUS (Plate 101). In temperate regions the plant is 

 ight-colored (Geaster velutinus), but it becomes dark in the tropics. Geaster 

 avanicus is the same as Geaster velutinus excepting the dark color. It has 



5 Dr. Hollos iu his recent book has the two species badly confused. Geaster velutinus is 

 h better called a synonym for Geaster mirabilis than it is a synonym for Geaster saccatus. 



6 And Berkeley always determined the American saccate form ;Geaster velutinus; as Geas- 

 .er fimbriatus Cfr. Myc. Notes, p. 155. 



315 



