2 ’ BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JANUARY 
and especially to the origin and homology of the so-called ‘‘veil,” 
which is described in some species but is often regarded as absent 
in others. For example, a rather persistent membranous “‘ veil” 
is described in Phallus ravenelit B. and C., an evanescent mem- 
branous veil in Jthyphallus tenuis Ed. Fischer (PENzIG 13, p. 146), 
while Iihyphallus impudicus is often regarded as wholly lacking a 
veil at the time of the expansion of the plant. 
This study was undertaken with the purpose of answering, if 
possible, some of these questions. It naturally led to a study of 
the origin of the veil in Ithyphallus impudicus, and to a comparative 
study of this structure in J. impudicus with the ‘‘veil” in Phallus 
ravenelii B. and C., and the ‘‘indusium” in Dictyophora duplicata 
(Bosc.) Ed. Fischer; and to a consideration of the generic value 
of these structures. 
While studying and photographing the fungi of France in the 
vicinity of Pontarlier, France, and other villages in that section : 
of the Jura Mountains, I had an opportunity of collecting consider- — 
able material of Jthyphallus impudicus in different stages of develop- 
ment. Several. individuals were first found and collected by my 
friend M. A. Courtet,? who accompanied me on many of the excur- _ 
sions, and showed me the locality where this plant was growing. 
It was in a forest by the roadside, and the plants were growing 
for some distance around an old decaying stump. In the vicinity 
of some of the rotten wood, strands of the mycelium were found 
with numerous very young fruit bodies. Others were found 
which were older, thus presenting an interesting series of develop- — 
ment from the very young and minute fruit bodies to the mature — 
plants (text fig. 1). As many as possible of these were collected — 
in different stages. Not having any other fixer at hand, they were 
fixed in alcohol and picric acid, and then preserved in 75 per cent 
alcohol. 
In the very early stages of the development of the young fruit 
bodies, their structure corresponds very closely with that of the — 
growing end of the rhizomorphs as described by DEBARY (3, P- 
*M. Courtet is professor of mathematics at the Lycée in Besancon, but resides 
in Pontarlier, where he spends his vacations, and is a member of the Soc. Myc. de — 
France, 
