286 
THE LARGER FUNGI 
liTiDonhm'.; eolumella deiiilroid, arising from a well defined sterile base. Spores 
globose, ccliimilate, pallid coloured; basidia subclavate, bearing from 1 to 4 
but comiiionlv 2 spores. — Cminingliam, ’ 
455. Hydnangiuin carneum Wallr. (L., canieus, flesli-eoloured).— Plants sub- 
globose, i to tin. (1.2 to 2.5 cm.) diameter, often with a small rooting base, 
l)allid cream or ocliraceous. Peridium fragile and readily disappearing, 50 to 
200 ij. thick, variable in different plants from the same collection, of woven but 
not gelatinized hyphae. Gleba ocliraceous when dry, of large labyrintliiform 
cavities, which tend ho a radial arrangement from the base, smaller and more 
compacted below; sterile base and dendroid columella present; tramal plates 
25 to 100 fj. thick, of woven, non-gelatinized hyphae; basidia commonlv 2-spored; 
cystidia sometimes present. Spores globose, 14 to 18 y in diameter (including 
spines), ferruginous or with a tinted spore wall only, covered with coarse 
echinulate spines, 2 to 2.5 g long, broad at the base, regular, hyaline; epispore 
1.5 to 2 /X thick, tinted yellow and highly refractive. — CuimiVigham. South' 
Australia: — Mount Lofty, Alorialta, Kuitpo. New South "Wales. Tasmania. 
New .Zealand. Europe. July, August. 
[Peridium with a radicate base; usuall,y without an evident columella; spores 
globose with a conspicuous gelatinous exosjtore enveloping the surface sculpturing. 
— The genus Lcuoogastcr lias not been recorded from Australia or New Zealand.] 
Section Ah — Peridium with radicate strands; gleba traversed by a definite 
columella ; spores elliptical, coloured and with a gelatinous exospore which 
is rugulose or rugulose-areolate. 
DENDROGASTER Bucholtz. 
(Gr., dcndron, a tree; gmicr, the belly.) 
Plants subglobose or pyriform, attached l)y a radicate basal strand. Peridium 
of one or two layers, pseudoparenchymatous. Gleba of pseudoparenchyniatous 
tramal ])iates anastomosed to enclose numerous cavities bned with a ideflnite 
hymenial layer; traversed l)y a simple or branched dendroid columella, which 
may be reduced to a sterile base witli a few radiating bands. Spores elliptical, 
coloured, with a rugulose epispore; basidia persistent, bearing 2 to 4 spores on 
short sterigmata. Epigaean, or partly submerged in soils rich in humus. 
— Cunningham. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
Peridium of two distinct layers 45(5. Dcndrpgaster 
piriformis. 
Peridium of a single layer. 
Peridium ferruginous brown 457. D. fulvus. 
Peridium violaceus D. violaoeus. 
45(i. Dendrogaster piriformis Cunn. (L., piriformis, pear-shaped). — Plants 
pyriform or sub-turbinate, to Sin. (15 mm.) tall, smooth, reddish browm. Peridium 
double, 200 to 250 g, exterior layer of pseudoparenehyma, interior layer of brown 
partly gelatiiii/ed, parallel hyphae. Gleba reddish brown or fenniginous, cells 
subglobose, 1 or 2 to 1 mm., with a sterile base and traversed (by a pallid 
yellow' dendi'oid percurrent columella; tramal plates 90 to 110 g thick, pseudo- 
parenchymatous; basidia 4-spored. Spores obovate, chestnut brown, 12 to 14 
X (5.5 to 8 g, shortly pedicellate, distinctly areolate, wall 1.5 g thick. — Cunningham. 
South Australia — Encounter Bay, National Park. June, August. 
457. Dendrogaster fulvus (Rodwv) Cunn. (L., fulvus, tawny). — Plants irregu- 
larly globose, to llin. (3.5 cm.) diameter, knobbed or w'rinkled, pallid, becoming 
dingy brown when dried. Peridium 150 to 200 g thick, )of a. isingle layer of 
hyaline jjseudoparenchyma, hyphae of the exterior arranged in a parallel manner. 
Gleba dark ferruginous brown, cells subglobose, 1 to 2 to 1 mm., empty; traversed 
by a si)aringly branched columella arising from a poorly defined sterile base; 
tramal plates 75 to 120 g thick, pseudoparenchymatous, not scissile; basidia 
4-spored. Spores elliiffical or elliptical-oblong, ferruginous, 8.5 to 10 x 0’ to 
8 g, covered with a delicate, coloured, gelatinous membrane, which is distinctly 
rugulose-areolate. — Cunningham. South Australia — Mounty Lofty, Greenhill 
Road. Tasmania. June to August. 
