more than a hundred years and has not been observed in recent years. 

 It is possible that the old botanists have mistaken phalloid eggs for those 

 of Battarrea. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. The genus Battarrea is of wide dis- 

 tribution, though the individuals are of rare occurrence. It has been found very 

 rarely in England.f and is known from but one locality in France.^ It has been 

 collected once in Italy, but is not known from the remainder of Europe except 

 from Russia and Hungary. In the United States it is known only from Arizona 

 and the Pacific Coast. In South America several collections are known and three 

 "species" have been described. Two collections have reached Europe from 

 Africa and one from India. 



THE SPECIES OF BATTARREA. 



BATTARREA PHALLOIDES (Plate 28). Upper part of the 

 peridium adnate to the volva and falling away attached to the volva. 

 Volva breaking early, sometimes persisting as a cup at the base of the 

 plant, but usually absent from herbarium specimens. Capillitium hya- 

 line, abundant. Annuted cells abundant, 60-80 mic. long, 6-8 mic. 

 thick, with thick annular markings. Spores subglobose, granulose, 5-6 

 mic. This is the original species discovered in England., The stem 

 is slender, 8 to 12 inches high and about a centimeter thick. It is covered 

 with fine scales. The typical form occurs in England, France, Australia 

 and California. 



SPECIMENS IN OUR COLLECTION. 



California, L. A. Greata. 



l-rancc, Ernest Olivier, Rev. H. Bourdot. 



BATTARREA STEVENII (Plate 28). This form is originally known from 

 Russia. It differs from the type form in its more robust growth and the thick, 

 lacerated, coarse scales covering the stem. It is unquestionably only a large form 

 of Battarrea phalloides and can not be distinguished by any sharp lines. 



t It has been noted in Grevillea but I have not the reference. I should be 

 thankful to any of my English correspondents for information and data on the 

 occurrence of Battarrea in England. 



$ I am indebted to Monsieur Ernest Olivier (who is the only botanist in France 

 who has had the good fortune to collect the plant) for some fine specimens r.nd 

 the following very interesting note: 



"C'est le -22 septembre 1892 que pour la premiere fois j'ai trouve le Battarrea 

 phalloides croissant sur le sol dans 1'interieur d'un chene creux sur une couche 

 epaisse de debris d't'corces et de feuilles decomposees. Quelques jours apres. j'en 

 ai retrouve deux individus dans les m&mes conditions dans 1'interieur d'un autre 

 chene distant du premier d'environ 500 metres. 



Ces deux chenes sont situes dans une propriete m'appartenant, les Ramillons 

 pres de Moulins (Allier). 



Depuis cette epoque. chaque anne. j'ai vu le Battarrea au nombre de plusirurs 

 exemplaires surtout dans 1'interieur du premier chene. 



Au sortir du terreau. ce champignon est enveloppe d'nue volve et apparait sous 

 1'apparence d'un petit oeuf; le stipe grandit rapidement en quelqeues heures; le 

 volve se separe en deux parties; 1'une reste au pied du stipe tandis que 1'autre est 

 enlevee en 1'air recouvrant le chapeau; elle est d'abord molle. mais elle se dessec 

 bien vite et tombe a terre dCcouvrant les spores innombrables et leur permettaat 

 de se repandre. 



Je n'ai jamais vu que des stipes de consistance fibreuse et je n'ai pu constater 

 s'ils sont mous au debut de leur croissance, ce que je serais porte ft croire; mais 

 cette croissance est tellement rapide que je n'ai pu surprendre un de ces champ 

 gnons dans un demi developpement." 



One author seems to think that the soil of South America is wonderfully 

 prolific in producing "new species." At least everything is a "new species" that; 

 he finds. 



