304 United States Species of Lycaperdon. 



Ltcoperdon glabellum Fk. 



Smooth Puff-ball. 



Plant subglobose or subturbinate, 8''-18'' broad, some- 

 times narrowed below into a short stem-like base, yellow 

 or brownish-yellow, farfuraceous with minute nearly uni- 

 form persistent warts ; capillitium and spores purplish- 

 brown, columella present; spores rough, .0002^-00025' 

 in di'imeter. 



Ground in pine woods and bushy places. ITorth Green- 

 bush, Albany and Center. Vermont. Frost. Autumn. 



The Smooth puff-ball is not inferior in beauty to any of 

 our species. Its pretty yellow color and soft smooth 

 appearance readily attract attention. It is generally about 

 one inch in diameter and obovate pyriform or subturbi- 

 nate in shape. To the naked eye it appears to be smooth 

 or only mealy or minutely papillose, but under a lens it 

 is seen to be covered with minute granular or branny 

 warts. These in all the specimens that I have seen are 

 persistent. The character of the warts and the color of 

 the peridium readily distinguish this species from the 

 preceding one. There is a closely related European 

 species, i. cupricum Bon., but that is described as of a 

 cinereous-pink color becoming copper colored when mature 

 and having then a silky or shining surface. 



Subsection B. Spores olive-tinted or brown, 

 a. Plant shaggy or echinate. 



Lycoperdon Wrightii B. ^ C. 



Wright's PujQf-ball. 



Peridium globose depressed-globose or lentiform, 6''- 

 24:" in diameter, generally sessile, white or whitish, echi- 

 nate wdth deciduous sometimes crowded stellate spines 

 or pyramidal warts, when denuded smooth or minutely 

 velvety ; capillitium and spores dingy-olive, columella 

 present ; spores smooth, .00016' in diameter. Edible. 



Ground in pastures and grassy places. Very common. 

 July— Oct. 



