United States Species of Lycoperdon. 



297 



whitish cinereous op pinkish-brown, smooth or minutely 

 floccose, sometimes with minute scattered spinules or 

 floccose scales, generally cracking in areas, the upper part 

 at length falling away in fragments and leaving a cup- 

 shaped base wtth a lacerated margin ; cajnllitium and 

 spores purple-brown ; spores rough, .0002'-.00025' in 

 diameter. Edible. 



Fields and pastures. Buffalo, Clinton. Utica, Johnson. 

 Fort Edward, Howe. Oneida, Warm. Albany, Sandlake, 

 Maryland and South Corinth. Vermont, Frost. 

 cons'm J Brown. CsLTolinay Bosc, Curtis. August — October. 



Bosc's figure and description of this species, for a tran- 

 script of which I am indebted to the kindness of Prof. 

 Farlow, are not very satisfactory. They were evidently 

 derived from the basal remains of the effete plant, a mode 

 of describing fungi scarcely to be recommended. But in 

 this case it happens that there is no other known American 

 puff-ball than the one here described to which in the effete 

 condition his description is applicable, so that there is 

 very little doubt as to the species he intended to describe. 

 A translation of his description is here given. 



" Sessile, conical, concave at the top, the margins thin 

 and lacerated. 



This species, which occurs in very dry and open places 

 in South Carolina, appears to have some resemblance to 

 L. infundibulum Willd. Its color is a grayish- violet more 

 distinct in the* cavity. I have never seen it open naturally 

 to disseminate its seeds. Insects which perforate it, the 

 feet of quadrupeds which crush it, winds which blow it 

 against trees supply this want." 



The use of the word " sessile " in this description is 

 very natural if we suppose, as Bosc evidently did, the 

 sterile base to be the whole plant in its normal condition. 

 The term " conical " would probably have more accurately 

 conveyed his idea if it had been written obconical or in- 

 versely conical. 



This species is probably the same as L. fragile Yitt., as 



