Scleroderma 



SCLERODERMACE/E 



479 



sessile or nearly so, pale to olive-umber, base spongy-cellular 

 within. Gl. composed of numerous cells, each containing an 

 olive-umber Peri. Spores dark brown. 

 On the ground. May. 2f x 3| in. 



CXVIII. SCLERODERMA Pers. 

 (From the hard skin or peridium ; Gr. skleros, hard, derma^ skin.) 



Peridium firm, cortex persistent in the form of warts, scales or 

 granules, indehiscent or breaking up in an irregular or more or less 



Fig. 134. A, E, Scleroderma vulgare Hornem., entire and in section. One-half natural size, 

 c, cells of gleba. X 5. D, basidia and spores; E, spore germinating. X 750. 



stellate manner, convex internally at base. Gleba cellular, subper- 

 sistent, without peridiola. Trama in the cell walls. (Fig. 134.) 



The peridium is frequently and extensively perforated by larvae 

 which eat the spore-mass and help to disseminate the spores. 



Species 20862089 

 2086. S. vulgare Hornem. (from its commonness ; vulgaris, 



common) a b c. 



Subsessile, often lobed below and usually slightly depressed 

 above, ovate, reniform in vertical section. Pe. thick, corky, 

 verrucose or adpressed-scaly, pale warm-brown, scales darker. 

 Gl. dark slate-colour. Trama white. 



Often crespitose. Under the name of ' ' vegetable tripe " it has been eaten when 

 quite young and found not poisonous. Used for the adulteration of pate de 



