118 
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
jellowisli-browu with yellowish cracks ; gleba white- yellowish ; asci sub- 
rotund, ovoid, shortly stipitate, 8-spored, 70-87 x 65-75^; spores globose, 
yellowish, epispore very delicately alveolated, 17-23 fx diam. 
The plants are usually about the size and shape of an ordinary fig, as is 
seen in Plate VII, figs. 1 and 2. The average weight is 25-45 grin. 
The specimen illustrated by the photograph in Fig. 4 is of exceptional 
size and more globose in shape ; it measured 9 cm. across by 6 cm. deep, and 
weighed 226 grms. The characteristic shape of the ascus and spores are 
depicted in Figs. 5 and 6. 
Mr. Hunter, in writing to me on the subject, mentioned that the natives 
found the truffles by observing the cracks in the ground, which, of course, 
are caused by the growth of these liypogeal plants. 
The Botanical Laboratories of the Union 
OF South Africa, Pretoria. 
May mh, 1917. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII. 
Illustrating- structure of Terfezia Claveryi, Chat. 
fig. 
1 and 2. Typical specimens. Natural size. 
3. Specimen cut in half to show character of gleba. Natural size. 
4. Large specimen of irregular shape. Slightly reduced. 
5, a and b. Asci with 8 ascospores. x 600. 
6, c and d. Ascospores. x 1000. 
