The Morels and Puff-Balls of Madison. 113 



I have had some doubt as to whether this plant, collected but once, 

 should be referred to L. favosum or caelatum. The latter species is re- 

 ported by Bundy (Rep. Geol. Surv. Wis. i, 399) and Peck (U. S. species of 

 Lycoperdon, 12), from Wisconsin, and I have seen unmistakable speci- 

 mens of it from this state in the herbarium of Professor Peck, while it ap- 

 pears to be pretty frequently met with in the west. 



2. Lycoperdon BovistaL. (L. giganteum of most authors).— Seldom 

 under ten inches in diameter, often very much larger: smooth, or at least 

 not floccose-sculptured nor pitted like the last. Peridium less corky, flak- 

 ing away in thinner more papery layers, spores and capillitium yellower, 

 the latter not separating from the sterile base. Spores nearly globose, 

 almost smooth, 4 to 4.5 «. — Grass land in late summer and autumn. Also 

 reported from Wisconsin by Bundy (Z. c). 



Figures: — Palmer, Mushrooms of America, pi. 8, f. 1. 



Lycoperdon cyathiforme, Bosc, which occurs in the Curtis herbarium from Wisconsin 

 ^Sprague, 1169, Coll. Laphani), has been collected at Sheboygan (^Brown), River Falls 

 (King), and La Crosse QPammel), and is also mentioned by Bundy (I. c), is a stout 

 pear-shaped or depressed-globose puff-ball approaching L. callatum in size, but easily dis- 

 tinguished by its smoother but areolated outer peridium, flaking away near the top as a 

 thin papery layer, revealing the thicker fragile purple inner layer, and by its round finely 

 granulated very purple spores, 4.5, to 6 /i in diameter. The sterile base persists for a long 

 time, and is what Bosc's description (MSm.s. quelques espSces de champignons des parties 

 mSrid. de T Am6r. Sept., 5-6, pi. 6, f. 11) and figure were taken from. The American- 

 plant is not distinct from that which Vittaduii i at first referred to L. Bovista, but after- 

 ward called L. fragile. 



These three species are esteemed for food, whereas most of the smaller 

 species of the genus have a disagreeable flavor. On this subject see Peck, 

 U. S. Sp. of Lycoperdon, 7; 33 Rep. N. Y. Museum, 62; Country Gentle- 

 man, November 5, 1885; Palmer I. c; and a note by myseK in St. Nicholas, 

 September, 1886; as well as Badham and other European writers on edible 

 fungi. 



3. Lycoperdon pedicellatum Pk.— Depressed globose to obovoid or 

 sub-pyi-iform, usually one to two inches in diameter, with coarse angular 

 or slender steUately united spines, a minutely granular darker recticulum 

 between then- bases. Denuded peridium, duU pinkish or buff, with round 

 or polygonal depressions corresponding to the insertion of the fallen spines: 

 base granular with more or less persistent coarse warts. Spores oUve- 

 yeUow, sUghtly obovoid, minutely granular, 4-5 X 5-6 //, with slender 

 nearly colorless pedicels 18 to 25 // long. — PI. 1, f. 7. — Found once on the 

 gi-ound in open woods; received from River Falls {King); and locally 

 abundant elsewhere, often in open places. 



It has frequently been asserted tliat the spores of Lycoperdon are stalkless 

 while those of Bovista are pedicelled. Understanding stalkless to mean 

 (as in this paper) with a pedicel not exceeding 1 /^ in length, this generaliza- 



1 Funghi Mangerecci, 263-8, pi. 33, f. 2. See, also, Berkeley, Notices of N. A. Fungi, no. 

 832. 



H 



