OP SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
303 
The peculiar nature of the exoperidiuin and the small cells of the sterile base 
are the chaiiicters of the species. 
The Encounter Bay specimens liad depressed glolndar peridia, Uj to 2in. (112 
to 5 cjn.) broad, 1 to l]in. (2.5 t('> .'!.2 cm.) liigh, with tJie l)ase flat or broadly 
conical, the endo])eridium near Colonial Buff (xxx.) bleaching to white, the 
exoperidial warts Light Buff (xv.), opening apically by a laceration 4 to 10 mm. 
in diameter. When young, the peridia. W'ere coarsely echinulate from large closely 
])acked acute warts, uj) to d mm. high with bases of d to 4 inm., the warts finally 
splitting into 2 to 4 elements which remained connivent. As maturity was reaclieil, 
the whole exoperidiurn flaked off' into very friable angular fragments up to gin. 
n.u cm.) long and d to 4 mm. th.ick, leaving the smooth endoperidium exposed, 
fragments remaining for a while as a friable collar at the base. 
491. Lycoperdon nitidum Lloyd. (L., nitidus, shining). — Peridium de])ressed 
globose, irregular, 1 to Ifin. (2 to 4 cm.) <liameter, umber, almost black, crenu- 
late below, with a minute rooting base; exojjei'idium furfuraceous, flaking away 
irregularly, almost black; endoperidium })a])yraceous, umber, polished, dehiscing 
by a minute, plane, torn a))ical stoma; sterile base olivaceous, occupying the 
lower third of the peridium, cells minute, scarcely visible unless /magnified ; 
diaphragm absent. (lleba olive-umber; columella absent; capillitium threads 
simple or sparingly liranclied, flaccid, olive, tliin walled, jiitted, continnons. 
Spores globose or subglobosi', a])iculatc, d.5 to 4.5 g; opispore olivaceous, 
delicately vernteulose. On the ground. — Cunningham. South Australia — Clare. 
August. 
This species is characterized by the depressed-glolrose form, minutely furfur- 
aceous exoperidiurn, the thin and polished umber-browm endoperidium, scanty, 
minutely cellular sterile base and pitted capillitium. — Cunningham. 
492. Lycoperdon spadiceiim Persoon. (L., upadiceus, date-brown). — Peridium 
4 to lin. (12 to 24 mm.) diametei', sidogloliose (jr more commonly shortly pryi- 
form, with a long and slender rooting l)ase, which may sometimes bo branched; 
exoperidiurn furfuraceous, often in the form of mealy stjuamules, fugacious; endo- 
peridium umber-browu, papyraceous, smootli, dull, flaccid, sometimes covered witli 
lime granules, dehiscing by an a[)ieal, torn, ])lane stoma; sterile base scanty, 
occupying the lower tliird lof the peridi,um or less, of small cells, umber; 
diaphragm absent. Gleba olivaceous, becoming umber; columella absent; 
capillitium threads olivaceous, fi-eely branclied, eoutiuuous, not pitted, about the 
diameter of the spores. S;)ores globiose, a])iculate, 4 to 4.5 episporc olivaceous, 
minutely but distinctly verruculose. iSolifary on the ground. — Cunningham. 
South Australia — Beaumont, Mor])liett Vale, Mount Lofty, Morialta, Kuitpo, 
Kinehina. Encounter Bay. Kalangadoo (S.E.), Big Swamp west of Port Lincoln. 
Victoria. New Zealand. Europe. April to July. 
Cliaracteriz.ed by tlie small, sub-])yriform shape, furfuraceous exoperidiurn and 
scanty, small-celled, sterile base. It closely resemt)les largo forms of L. punillum, 
but is sejiarated readily on account of the presence of the cellular sterile base; 
and s;nall forms of L. pnlymorphim , but the compact sterile base of the latter 
serves as a, ready means of differentiation. — Cunningham. 
49.‘1. Lycoperdon polymorphum Vittad. (Clr., polys, many; morphr, shape). — 
Peridium up to 21in. ((> cm.) diameter, yellow, becoming brown, ilepressed 
globose or moie frec|uently pyriform, witli or witliout a stem-like base, which, 
when presejit, is loften creiiulate; exojjeiddiuiii of minute spines or vcrrucue, 
often furfuraceous, fugacious; endoperidium membranous, often smooth and 
polished, dehiscing by a small, tom, plane, a]jical stoma; sei'ile base compact, 
of thi' same interwoven hyphae as the glelia, coucolorous, frepuently scanty; 
diaphragm absent. Glel>a yellowish, becoming olivaceous; columella absent; 
capillitium threads pallid olive, tliin walled, branched, continuous, about tho 
iliameter of tlie spores. Spores globose, 4.5 to 5.5 y, apiculate; episimre tinted, 
closely and finely verruculose. Solitary or in small groups on the ground. — 
Cunningliam. Smith Australia — Mount Lofty, Kinehina, AVilpena Pound, Flinders 
Bange near Port Augusta, Oioldea. New Soutli AVales. New' Zealand. Europe. 
North America. South Africa. April to August, November. 
The species is characterized by tlie nature of tlie sterile base, wliicli is eitlier 
of a compact mycelial tissue similar in structure to tlic gleba, or, of cells so 
minute as to be seen only wlien consideraldy magnified. Frequently the sterile 
base is scanty, w'hen plants approach L. p'usillum ; to thi.s form tlie name L. 
cepaeforvie has been apidied, but it is impracticable to maintain, for in tlie same 
collection may be present forms witli either scanty or well-developed sterile bases. 
— Cunningliam. 
