58 Thirtv-second Report on the State Museum. 



Peronospora Viticola B. & C. 



Leaves of wild grape-vines. Catskill Mountains. A Peronospora which 

 is scarcely distinguishable from this species occurs about Albany on leaves of 

 the great ragweed, Ambrosia trifida. 



MORCHELLA SEMI LIBERA DC. 



Mr Warne finds two forms of this species at Oneida, one with the pileus 

 conical, the other with it hemispherical and obtuse. In both the stem may be 

 either short or long. The pileus is often free nearly or quite to the apex. 



G-yromitra esculenta Fr. (HeUella esculenta.) 



This plant sometimes grows so large that a single one will weigh a pound. 



Helvella elastica Bull. 



This species is described as having the pileus free. It is not uncommon to 

 find it with the pileus attached in one or two points to the stem. 



Verpa digitaliformis Pers. 

 Buffalo. Clinton. 



Helotium pileatum Pk. 



Decaying stems lying in water. Sandlake. May. 



This is a large form about an inch high, with a conical or subcampanulate 

 pileus 2 '-3" broad. 



Valsa oxyspora Pk. 



The habitat of this species was, by an error, stated to be dead oak branches. 

 It is dead branches of mountain holly, Nemopanthes Canadensis. I have 

 not found it on oak. It is very distinct from V. taleola, if the published 

 characters of that species are at all reliable. 



(6.) 

 NEW YORK SPECIES OF LYCOPERDON. 



Lycoperdon Town. 



Peridium membranaceous, vanishing above or becoming flaccid; bark 

 adnate, subpersistent, breaking up into scales or warts ; capillitium soft, dense, 

 adnate to the peridium and sterile base. Syst. Myc, Berk. Oud., Cooke's 

 Handbook. 



The species of Lycoperdon are commonly known as " Puff-balls." They 

 belong to a family of fungi called Gasteromycetes, because of their habit of 

 producing their spores in the inner cavity of the plant. The particular order 

 to which they belong is called Trichogasters, a name having reference to the 

 hair-like filaments with which the interior of the mature plant is filled. 

 These filaments form a somewhat elastic mass, and are interspersed with vast 

 numbers of minute dust-like spores. When, therefore, the mature plant is 



