Report of the Botanist. 71 



warts, pinkish-brown, the denuded peridium whitish or cinereous, minutely 

 reticulate-pitted; capillitium and spores greenish-yellow, then dingy-oliva 

 ceous, columella present ; spores minutely roughened, .00016 -.00018' in 

 diameter. 



Prostrate trunks, old stumps, etc., in woods. Common. August — October. 



This is a very distinct species not likely to be confused with any other. 

 Its peculiar color is quite constant, and this, with its minute, uniform warts, 

 caespitose habit, sessile character, and pitted, denuded peridium, easily dis- 

 tinguishes it from all allied species. It rarely exceeds an inch in diameter, and 

 I have never found it growing on the ground, nor in cleared lands. It often 

 has white, creeping, radicular fibres, similar to those of L. pyriforme, and 

 it sometimes forms patches equal in extent to those of that species. The little 

 pits or depressions in the denuded peridium are left by the deciduous warts. 

 They are smaller and deeper than the similar impressions of L. gemmatum, 

 and are not surrounded by dotted lines. 



Lycopekdon pusillum Fr. Little Puff-ball. 



Peridium 3-12'' broad, globose, scattered or caespitose, sessile, radicating, 

 with but little cellular tissue at the base, white or whitish, brownish when 

 old, rimose-squamulose or slightly roughened with minute floccose or furfu- 

 raceous persistent warts ; capillitium and spores greenish-yellow, then dingy- 

 olivaceous ; spores smooth, .00016' in diameter. 



Ground in grassy places and pastures. Common. June — October. 



This puff-ball is generally about a half an inch in diameter ; but specimens 

 sometimes occur that are scarcely larger than a pea, and others that are fully 

 an inch across. It grows in open ground, either on naked soil or among short 

 grass, and is sometimes crowded together in tufts. Its surface is often 

 cracked in areas which are sometimes quite minute, giving the surface a scaly 

 appearance. Rarely the warts are in the form of minute, branny spinules or 

 stellate hairs. They are generally persistent, but in the mature plant they 

 are so shriveled that they are scarcely noticeable. It occurs throughout the 

 season, sometimes appearing as early as June. Its smoother surface will 

 readily distinguish it from small forms of L. Wfightii and L. gemmatum, 

 var. papillalum. 



Lycoperdon coloratum PJi. Colored Puff-ball. 



Peridium S^-IO" broad, globose or obovate, subsessile, radicating, yellow 

 or reddish-yellow, brownish when old, slightly roughened with minute gran- 

 ular or furfur aceous persistent warts ; capillitium and spores at first pale, 

 inclining to sulphur-color, then dingy-olive ; spores subglobose, smooth, about 

 .00016' in diameter. 



Ground in thin woods and bushy places. Sandlake and Catskill Moun- 

 tains. July and August. 



This delicate little puff-ball is quite rare. It is generally about a half an 

 inch broad and nearly globose, though sometimes it is narrowed toward the 

 base, where it is usually furnished with a few delicate, white, radicular fibres. 

 The color of the immature plant is yellowish and quite conspicuous ; but when 

 old it so closely resembles the dead, brown color of the fallen leaves among 

 which the plant grows, that it is difficult to detect it. But few individuals 



