BRIEPER-ARTICLES. 
A NEW SPECIES OF GEASTER. 
(WITH TWO FIGURES) 
In February 1903, I received through Dr. W. C. Coker, of the 
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N. C., a pretty little Geaster, 
woods. The first specimens which I received were collected by one of 
the students at the University, Mr. C. A. Shore, and afterwards very 
abundant material was collected both by Mr. Shore and Dr. Coker. 
The species is quite remarkable in several respects. In the first 
place, its habitat on bark of living trees is unusual, for while now and 
then a species normally growing on the ground or on dead logs may 
be found around the bases of trees on the dead bark among moss, the 
distinctive habit of this species is upon the dead bark of living trees 
some distance from the ground. In this respect it is similar to the 
puff ball, Lycoperdon leprosum B. & R.* In fact, it sometimes grows 
intermingled with specimens of Lycoperdon leprosum on the same tree, 
so it may occur as an associate, or as the only puff ball on the tree. 
Thus far it has always been found among moss, and it will be interest- 
ing to know if there is any mutualism between the moss and its asso- 
ciate Geaster, of such a nature that the Geaster is dependent upon the 
moss, or whether the conditions of moisture, etc., which «are favorable 
for the growth of the Geaster in all cases observed, bring about also 
the development of the moss, so that the association of the two is 
merely accidental. 
It is also remarkable in another respect, that it belongs to the for- 
nicate section of the genus, a section which contains but a very few 
Species in comparison with the large number known. The third 
unusual character of the species is that the spores are smooth, not 
echinulate or tuberculate, as in other species, although the spores are 
more or less irregular, with three to four slight angles in side view. 
Usually these angles are not prominent, and under the low power 
of the microscope the spores appear to be perfectly globose. At first 
* Lycoperdon leprosum B. & R., Rav. Fung. Am. Ex. no. 14. See also Pk. Mon. 
Lycop. 29. 
1903] 303 
