312 United States Species of Lycoperdon. 



cellular tissue at the base, covered with minute nearly 

 uniform pyramidal or subspinulose at length deciduous 

 warts, pinkish-brown, the denudedperidium whitish or cin- 

 ereous, minutely reticulate-pitted ; capillitium and spores 

 greenish-yellow, then dingy- olivaceous, columella present; 

 spores minutely rough, .00016^-00018' in diameter. 



Pro.^trate trunks, old stumps, etc., in woods. Common. 

 August — October. 



This is a very distinct specie?, not likely to be confused 

 with any other. Its peculiar color is quite constant and 

 this, with its minute uniform warts, csespitose habit, sessile 

 character and pitted denuded peridium, easily distinguish 

 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. pi/riforme, and 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. 



Lycoperdon 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 lioccose or 

 furfuraceous 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 



