Report of tee Botanist. 65 



Section II. Proteoides. Peridium opening by a small apical aperture, 

 persistent. Columella generally present. 



In this section the species are more numerous than in the preceding, 

 and the plants are generally more abundant, but they do not attain such 

 large dimensions. The peridium persists for a long time, and as its aperture 

 is very small, its capillitium and spores are not so soon dispersed. In some 

 of the species there are larger deciduous warts or spines interspersed among 

 smaller and more persistent ones ; in others, all are nearly equal and persist- 

 ent ; in a few, all are deciduous. 



* Spores purple-tinted, intermingled with short fragmentary slender 

 filaments. 



Lycoperdon constellatum Fr. Reticulate Puff-ball. 



Peridium subglobose or obovate, sometimes depressed, 10"-18'' broad, 

 echinate with rather long stout crowded brown spines which are either 

 straight curved or stellately united and which at length fall off and leave 

 the surface reticulate with brown lines ; capillitium and spores brown or 

 purplish-brown, columella present; spores rough, .0002-.00025' in diameter. 



Ground in dense shades and groves. Oneida. Warne. Rare. Autumn. 



I am not aware that this species has been found in any other locality in 

 the State. I have seen the dried specimens only, but Mr. Warne informs 

 me that the fresh plants do not differ essentially in color from the dried ones. 

 These are of a cervine or dull-brown color, closely resembling the hue of the 

 dead and fallen leaves among which they appear to have grown. They are 

 about an inch across, and very rough or shaggy, with crowded stout spines. 

 When these have fallen, the surface is reticulated by a network of minutely 

 warted brown lines, a character by which the species is readily distinguished. 



Lycoperdon atropurpureum Vitt. Purple-spored Puff-ball. 



Peridium globose depressed-globose or obovate, 6''-30'' broad, generally 

 narrowed below into a short stem-like base, white cinerous or brownish, 

 mealy-spinulose hairy-spinulose echinate or stellately echinate, when denuded 

 smooth and subshining ; capillitium and spores finally purplish-brown, colu- 

 mella present ; spores rough, .0002-.00025' in diameter. 



Sandy pastures, woods and bushy places. Common. August — October. 

 Albany, Sandlake, G-ansevoort, Brewerton, Catskill Mountains and Helder- 

 berg Mountains. 



This appears to be one of the most polymorphous species we have. It is 

 so variable that I have been obliged to modify the usual description very 

 much, in order to include forms which are quite diverse, yet which appear to 

 me to run together in such a way that I am unable to draw any satisfactory 

 line of distinction between them. The following is the usual description of 

 the Manuals : 



" Peridium flaccid, dingy-rufous, opening by a minute obtuse mouth ; bark 

 at first rough, with minute spines ; sterile base cellular, continuous with the 

 capillitium; spores largish, pedicellate, brown-purple, echinulate." 



I do not find the spores in our plant truly pedicellate ; but in all the forms 

 which I have referred to this species, as well as in all the species of this sub- 

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