50 BULLETIN 175, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Calvatia cyathiformis. (Edible.) 



Plant globose or turbinate and depressed above, with a thick, somewhat stemlike 

 base and cordlike root; cortex whitish gray or brown, sometimes with a pinkish 

 purple tinge, thin, fragile, areolate in the upper part, which, after maturity, soon 

 breaks up and falls away, leaving a cup-shaped base with a ragged margin attached to 

 the ground; the capillitium and spores are at first violet, becoming dark purple-brown. 

 The plant is 3 to 6 inches in diameter. 



Common on open grassy ground in pastures, fields, and lawns; edible and of fine 

 flavor. 



Calvatia gigantea. Giant puffball. (Edible.) 



Plant globose or obovoid, nearly sessile; plicate at base with cordlike mycelial 

 strands. Cortex at first white and smooth, becoming yellowish or brown, sometimes 

 slightly roughened by minute warts or sometimes cracking in areas; inner peridium 

 thin and fragile; capillitium and spores when mature yellowish green to dingy olive. 



The plants are generally 10 to 20 inches in diameter. Individuals of this species 

 often attain an enormous size, the specimen shown in the accompanying illustration 

 measuring 5 feet 1 inch in circumference. (PI. XXXVIII, fig. 2.) 



An excellent edible species, cosmopolitan and abundant, growing on lawns, pastures, 

 and meadows. 



BOVISTA. 



Species of the genus Bovista are globoid, the peridium consisting 

 of two walls: The outer, the exoperidium, thin, smooth, friable, 

 having mostly disappeared at maturity; the inner, the endoperidium, 

 thin, parchmenthke, opening irregularly or by an apical mouth; 

 capillitium consisting of branched, short, free threads. 



This genus may be distinguished from Lycoperdon by the absence 

 of a sterile base, by the easy separation from place of attachment, 

 and by the fragile exoperidium, which soon disappears, except per- 

 haps at the base. Owing to the spherical form of these plants and 

 their tendency to break away from the point of attachment they are 

 readily blown about and on this account are called " tumblers." 



Bovista pila. (Edible.) 



Plants globose or obovoid, sessile, without a thickened base; exoperidium thin, at 

 first white, becoming brown, and breaking away in fragments toward maturity; inner 

 peridium tough, smooth, shining, brown or purplish brown, with age becoming 

 silvery gray, dehiscent by an irregular torn mouth at or near the apex; mass of spores 

 and capillitium pale brown or olivaceous, becoming dark or purple brown. The 

 plants are 1^ to 2\ inches in diameter. 



"This Bovista is remarkably tough; it maintains its shape firmly and persists a long 

 time; it breaks away from its root and rolls about over the old leaves before the wind 

 even till the following season." (Morgan, vol. 14, p. 145.) 



CATASTOMA. 



Species of the genus Catastoma are thus described: " Puff balls 

 growing just beneath the surface of the ground and connected imme- 

 diately with it by filamentous threads, which issue from every part 

 of the cortex; after maturity, when the peridium breaks away, the 

 lower part of the outer coat is held fast by the soil, while the upper 



