CLASSIFICATION 475 



Q. mirabilis. — Peridium i-2| in. across, globose, dingy white ; 

 gleba msty cinnamon ; stem 3-5 in. long, very stout, tapering up- 

 wards, coarsely shaggy, whitish. 



An introduced species, native of France. The fungus occurred 

 as an introduced species, on tan, in the United States. These 

 specimens were sent to Kew for determination, and arrived partly 

 in a hroken-up condition. The fragments were thrown out under 

 a cedar tree, just outside the herbarium. The following season 

 several fine specimens of Queletia appeared under the cedar tree. 

 It has, however, not become established. 



Geaster 



Peridium at first closed, composed of three layers, the two outer 

 generally adhering and splitting from the top into several sharp- 

 pointed portions which spread out ; inner layer sessile or stalked, 

 with one definite mouth or opening at the top, through which the 

 spores escape. 



Characterized bj^ the outer portion or exoperidium splitting into 

 portions which spread out in a star-like manner. Differs from 

 Myriosfoma in ha\'ing one opening to the endoperidium. 



I. Endoperidium (inner peridium) distinctly stalked. 



G. hryantii. — Exoperidium brownish, sphtting into 7-10 sharp- 

 pointed portions that become recurved and then i|-3 in. across ; 

 endoperidium subglobose, with a groove round the top of its stalk ; 

 spore-mass dark brown, mouth grooved. 



On the ground amongst leaves, etc. 



G. schmideli. — Exoperidium splitting to the centre into a vari- 

 able number of acute segments, pale inside ; endoperidium globose- 

 ovate, lead-colour, mouth long, fluted ; spore-mass blackish uml.er. 



On the ground in open places. 



G. herkeleyi. — Exoperidium splitting into a variable number of 

 portions ; endoperidium broadly ovate, pale brown, papillate or 

 granulated, mouth fluted, surrounded by a smooth, depressed zone. 



Differs from G. limbatus in the papillose wall of the endoperidium, 

 and from G. siriatus in the smooth zone surrounding the mouth. 



On the ground. 



G. limbatus. — Exoperidium blackish brown, splitting into many 

 irregular portions ; endoperidium subpyriform ; "stalk short, mouth 

 conical, surrounded by a pale silky circle ; spore-mass purple- 

 brown. 



On the ground amongst leaves, etc. 



G. lurnicatus (PI. XXXV, fig. 5).— Exoperidium splitting into 

 4-5 acute portions, the two layers of which it is composed sepa- 

 rating, the outer layer remaining fixed to the ground, concave ; the 

 inner layer becoming convex upwards and fixed to the outer layer 



