Sclerodermaceee 



FAMILY III. SCLERODERMA'CE^. 



Peridium discrete from the gleba, often with a columella ; cells of the 

 gleba subpersistent. Morgan. 



GENUS L SCLERODER'MA Pers. 



Scleros, hard ; derma, skin. 



Skin firm with an innate bark, bursting irregularly; woolly threads 

 adhering on all sides to the bark and forming distinct veins in the cen- 

 tral mass. Base sterile, usually becoming elongated into a stem-like 

 structure. Spores large, granulated. 



Scleroderma vulgare and verrucosum are general and very common 

 over the United States. S. bovista and S. geaster have the same range 

 but are not so common. They much resemble puff-balls, but are more 

 pudgy, solid-looking. All are edible. Their qualities are noted under 

 their descriptions. 



S. vulga're Fr. vulgaris, common. 



sessile, irregular; bark corky, hard, 

 opening indefinitely ; inner mass in 

 which the spores are collected into 

 little heaps separated by a few 

 grayish woolly threads, bluish-black. 

 Spores dingy; in the mass blackish 

 with purple tinge, globose, warted, 

 9- 1 1 /* Mas see. 



The larger form is generally of a 

 yellowish or brownish hue, surface 

 warty or covered with rough scales ; 

 the smaller, stemless minutely warty, bright brown. 



Under trees, etc. Often cespitose, 1-3 in. across. 



(Plate CLXXXI.) 



( Plate CLXXXI.) 



Sub- 



SCLERODERMA VULGARE. 



A B. Firm when young and remain 



nearly so when mature. 



Peridium v ari- 



