310 
THE LARGER FUNGI 
MESOPHELLIA Berk. 
(Gr., mesos, middle; phellos, cork.) 
Plant subglobose or elliptical, solitary or caespitose, dehiscing by irregular 
weathering of the peridium, hypogaean. Peridinm usually of three well-developed 
iavers- exoperidium firm, thick (1 to S mm.), brittle, exteriorly of sand, earth 
or' vegetable debris firmly cemented together, interiorly of finely compacted 
fibrous tissue; central layer of loosely woven rather coarse hyphae arranged in 
a somewhat cellular fashion; endoperidium thin, 0.25 mm. (to 2 nmi. thiek in 
J/. caiitanea), tough and parchment-likes pseudoparenchyniatous, free from the 
cxo]ieridiuiu. G'leba of capillitium and spores, lying between the endoperidium 
:uid a central firm core which is held in position by trabeculae of the same tissue 
attached to the endoperidium; capillitium thread's copiously developed, usually 
hyaline, septate, arranged in parellel series. Spores elliptical, smooth (or with 
a" trace only of a gelatinous tunic), with a short, persistent basal pedicel. 
Hypogaeiui, growing "solitary or caespitose, buried in sandy soils, becoming ex- 
posed by mammals or as a result of cultural operations. — Cunningham. 
511. Mesophellia arenaria Berk. (L., arenarius, pertaining to sand). — 
Peridium subglobose lor more commonly elli;)tical, f, to 2in. (2 to 5 cm.) long, 
by * to l.lin. (1 to .‘1 cm.) diameter, solitary or caespitose. Exoperidium 1 to 
n' mm. thick, firm but brittle, exteriorly of sand or earth particles cemented to- 
gether, intei'iorly lof coarse fibrous tissue; endo]ieridiuni thin, 0.25 mm., dingy 
white 'or pallid bay-brown, parchment-like, tough. Gleba olivaceous, seldom 
ferruginous; ca])illitium threads hyaline or tinted only, copious, unbranched, 
septate; central core attached by a few coarse, flattened trabeculae, wdiich may 
attain a thickness of 2 inm. or more. Spores ellipti(ial, 7 to 12 x 4.5 to 0 ,a, 
apex bluntlv rounded, base acuminate, with a persistent stump of the pedicel, 
tinted, smooth (or with traces only of a gelatinous tunic). — Cunningham. South 
Australia— Rocky River (Kangaroo Island), Mount Compass, Willnnga Htll. 
New South Wales— iloss Vale. Tasmania. January, February, May, June, 
October. 
512. Mesophellia pachythrix Cke. et Mass. (Gr., paohys, thick; tJirix, a hair). 
Plants subglobose or tuberous, to l.lin. (3 cm.) diameter. Peridial characters 
as in the jtreeeding species. Central core attached to the endoperidium by very 
numerous, slender, thread-like trabeculae, which average from 0.1 to 0.25 mm. 
diameter. Glebsi olivaceous, capillitium copious, threads as in the preceding 
species S])ores elli])tical, 7 to 9.5 x 3 to 4.5 y, apex bluntly rounded, basally 
tfeuminate, and furnished with a stump of the pedicel, tinted, smooth (or witn 
traces of a e^elatiiious tunic). — Cunningham. South Australia Near Dashuoiod s 
Gully (scratched for by rabbits ?), Blackwood Gully near Kuitpo. Victoria. 
Tasmania. A]iril, Octolter. 
Differs from M. arenaria in the fine strands holding the central core in 
position. 
513 Mesophellia castanea Llovd. (L., castanaus, chestnut-coloured). Plants 
subglobose or depressed globose, to ll.in. (3 cm.) diameter. Exoperidium hunt- 
ing; endoperidium 1.5 to 2 mm. thick, firm and woody, ayellaneous. Gleba 
awllaneous; capillitium threads copious, of unbranched, septate, tinted hr phae, 
central core held in place by slender trabeculae composed .of loosely woven 
fascicles of a few caiiillitium threads, numerous. Spores elliptical, timed, i 
to 10 X 3 to 5.5 base with stump of a pedicel, with <^8tvnet traces ot a 
gelatinous tunic present. — Cunningham. South Australia Aldgate. 
CASTOREUM Cooke et Massee. 
(L., castor, a beaver, a badger.) 
Plant subglobose, with or without a rooting strand, hypogaean or epigaean, 
dehiscing by irregular rupture .of the apical portion into few or many irregular 
lobes or laciniae. Peridilum usually of three layers; a thick exopeiidium o 
closely woven hvphae (reduced to a tenuous layer in C. ciTfaccwm) ; a central 
layer' of loosely 'woven rather coarse hyphae; and an endoperidium \Diieh 
tough, leathery, pseudoparenchyniatous and often suberised. 
of caiiillitium and spores, but without a central core; capillitium « ^ 
not arranged, in parallel fashion, well-developed (scanty in nuituie plants 
