CLASSIFICATION 501 



Smell weak, somewhat resembling radishes. 



In stiff soil under trees. Rare. 



E. variegatus. — Ascophore subglobose, wall thick and hard, 

 golden or ochraceous, sometimes brownish, densely covered with 

 small pointed, pyramidal warts, 1-2 in. diam. ; asci subglobose, 

 1-4-spored ; spores globose, blackish brown, often with a violet 

 tinge in the mass, opaque, rather coarsely wrinkled, 16-21 /x diam., 

 mixed with cobweb-like threads. 



Distinguished from E. granulatiis by the pointed, pyramidal, 

 four-sided warts covering the outer wall, and by the streaked or 

 marbled flesh of the wall. Mycelium yellowish, scanty. Smell 

 variable in intensity, sometimes quite weak, at other times like 

 burnt hoof. Claviccps ophioglossoides is often parasitic on this 

 fungus. 



Under trees in woods. 



E. granulatus. — Ascophore subglobose or ellipsoid, when large 

 sometimes grooved or nodulose, wall firm, yellow, then tawny or 

 brownish, densely covered with minute rounded warts, 1-3 in. 

 diam. ; mycelium yellow, soon disappearing ; asci subglobose, 

 i~8-spored ; spores globose, blackish brown, with a tinge of purple 

 in the mass, opaque, 20-30 ji diam., mixed in the gleba with a 

 dense mass of fine silky capillitium threads. 



Our commonest species, but not generally met with on account 

 of its subterranean habitat, unless specially searched for. Its 

 presence is often betrayed by Claviceps capitata, which is parasitic 

 upon it, and appears above ground under the form of yellowish 

 brown, miniature drumsticks. 



On the ground under conifers, on the roots of which it is said to 

 l^e parasitic or to form mj^corhiza. Smell generally weak, sometimes 

 {umgent. 



E. leucosporus. — Ascophore irregularly globose, usually deeply 

 umbihcate or with a depression at the base, wall thin, blackish 

 brown, smooth, about J in. diam. ; mycelium scanty, greenish ; 

 spores globose, minutely wrinkled, at first colourless, then be- 

 coming blackish brown and almost opaque, with a tinge of purple 

 in the mass, 15-20 n diam., mixed with colourless, cobweb-like 

 capillitium threads. 



The species was first described from an immature specimen having 

 the spores, yet colourless, hence the specific name leucosporus or 

 white-spored. Fortunately the specimen from which the fungus 

 was first described was kept, and it was found that eventually the 

 spores became blackish brown. Moral : always preserve specimens 

 that new species are founded upon, commonly called type 

 specimens. 



Smell weak and fugacious. 



Under oaks. Very rare. 



