Lycoperdaceee 



*fnarked by its peculiar habit, 

 interesting microscopic objects. 



The curled and flexuous threads are Bovista. 

 Morgan. 



Sub globose, Mycenastrum. 



( Plate CLXXX.) 



GENUS XIII. MYCENAS'TRUM Desv. 



Mycelium funicular, rooting from the base, 

 without a thickened base ; cortex a 

 smooth continuous layer, at first 

 closely adnate to the inner peridium, 

 after maturity gradually breaking up 

 and falling away; inner peridium 

 thick, tough, coriaceous, becoming 

 hard, rigid and corky, the upper 

 part finally breaking up into irregu- 

 lar lobes or fragments. Capillitium 

 originating within the tissue of the 

 gleba; the threads free, short, thick, 

 with a few short branches, acutely 

 pointed and with scattered prickles. 

 Spores large , globose , sessile, 

 brown. 



Puff-balls of considerable size, 

 growing in the sandy soil of dry regions. A very distinct genus, in no 

 way related to Scleroderma, and resembling it only in its thick, corky, 

 inner peridium. The threads of the capillitium originate within the 

 tissue of the gleba, along with the spores, and are set free by deli- 

 quescence, the same as in Bovista. Morgan. 



M. spinulo'sum Pk. Peridium globose, depressed globose, some- 

 times elongated and often irregular, with a thick, cord-like root. Cor- 

 tex at first a thickish, white, smooth, continuous layer; after maturity 

 it cracks or becomes furrowed into large polygonal areas, and at length 

 falls away in large flakes or scales ; inner peridium very thick, at first 

 white and coriaceous, becoming hard, dry, brown and rigid, the upper 

 part finally breaking up into irregular lobes or fragments. Mass of 

 spores and capillitium compact then friable, at first olivaceous, then 



613 



MYCENASTRUM SPINULOSUM PK. 

 (After Morgan.) 



