into an outer, sterile portion as in all other genera. The spores are 

 very numerous, appearing- to compose the greater part of the tissue. 

 They are elliptical or broadly ovate, irregular in size, and vary from 

 5x6 to 6 x 10 mic. 



FORMS. There are a number of forms (or may be species) that seem 

 to differ chiefly in habits and habitat. The type form grows on rotten wood, 

 scattered or caespitose, spread over the surface and attached with a little 

 pad of white (yellow when fresh) mycelium. This is the most common form 

 that reaches me. There is another form that grows more scattered and deeply 

 immersed in the wood. This is called Sphaerobolus tubulosus. Another form 

 in which the mycelium forms a dense matrix in which the little peridia are 

 densely seated. It forms over damp, mossy ground in woods. Another form 

 on manure (Sphaerobolus stercoreus) usually partially immersed. Another 

 form on bare ground, forming very little mycelium (Sphaerobolus epigaens). 

 Whether these forms are "species" or only conditions due to various habitats, I 

 can not state. They all appear very much the same from dried specimens. 



HISTORY. Micheli first illustrated the plant about two hundred years 

 ago under the generic name Carpobolus, which should have been retained, but 

 has been lost, due chiefly to bad work on the part of Linnaeus, who placed the 

 plant in the genus Lycoperdon (sic), and called it Lycoperdon Carpobolus. 

 The plant is now often called Sphaerobolus Carpobolus, sometimes Carpo- 

 bolus stellatus, but more generally Sphaerobolus stellatus.* The following are 

 also synonyms Professor Patouillard tells me: Sphaerobolus cyclophorus 

 (Carpobolus cyclophorus). The following are given as synonyms in Saccardo : 

 Carpobolus albicans, Carpobolus stellatus, Sphaerobolus impatiens. (The latter 

 is given by Dr. Hollos as Sphaerobolus impaticus. I have not looked it up.) 

 Sphaerobolus dentatus is the climax of a series of errors. 41 When the name- 

 jugglers get to work, I presume they will call the plant Carpobolus Carpobolus 

 or something else equally absurd. 



SPECIMENS IN OUR COLLECTION. 



Louisiana, Rev. Langlois (on cow manure). 



Sweden, L. Romell. 



Belgium, Madame Rousseau. 



France, Capt. Pyat Felix. Rev. H. Bourdot. 



Germany, Otto Jaap (4 collections), Dr. O. Pazschke, C. Engelke. 



Bohemia, F. Bubak. 



New Zealand, Robt. Brown (S. epigaeus). 



EXCLUDED GENERA. 



There are a number of genera given in Saccardo that are said to not be- 

 long to the Nidulariaceae. I know nothing about them. Thelebolus is said 

 to be an Ascomyces ; Dacryobolus to belong to the Hydnaceae ; Polyangium to 

 be a Myxobacteraceae (whatever that may be) ; Atractobolus, "ist ganz 

 unklar," etc. 



40 "According to the principles of priority the name of this genus is Carpobolus (Mich. 1729), but 

 the name Sphaerobolus (Tode 1790; is so well established and so widely spread in literature, that I defer 

 to general usage and retain the name Sphaerobolus." HOLLOS. 



Good logic, Doctor ! If you had always followed as good judgment, Mr. McGinty would have 

 had nothing to say. 



Started by Withering more than a hundred years ago, it has kept on growing through several 

 authors, each adding a little to it and making it worse, until finally it was served up in its completed 

 form recently to the readers of the English Journal of Botany. 



29 



