OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
311 
G. Cl €i(u j septate. Spores elli])tic!il, covered with a loose or close fitting" 
gelatinous tunic, which gives to them an irregularly vei'rucose or wrinkled 
apponrance. Growing partially or completely buried in sandy soils. — Cunningham. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
Spores 8 to 12 /r long 514. Castoreum 
Tadicatum. 
Spores 14 to 18 ft. long. 
Exoperidium well developed, 1 mm. or more thick. . C. tasmaniemn. 
Exoperidium thin, represented by a tenuous layer 
of hypliae attached to the endoperidium . . . . 515. C. oretaccum. 
514. Castoreum radicatum Cke. et Mass. (L., radicatvs, rooted). — Plant 
subglobose, to 4in. (2 cm.) diameter, attached to the substratum by a small 
basal rooting strand, dehiscing by the tardy rupture of the apical pcirtion into 
two or three unecjual lobes. Exopeiidium to 2 mm. thick, of closely woven 
rather coarse hypliae, externally partly covered by loosely adhering particles of 
earth or sand, or velutinate, bay-brotvn or umber-brown, internally fibrous and 
bay-brown; endoperidium 1 to 2 mm. thick, tough and leathery, pseudoparenchy- 
matous, liay-brown. Gleba pallid ferruginous; capillitium threads hyaline, 
copiously developed, septate. Spores fusiform, 7 to 12 x 4.5 to (i /m, both ends 
pointed, or the apical end acuminate, base with attached stump of a pedicel, 
or acuminate, covered with a coarsel.y and irregularly waited, close-fitting 
gelatinous tunic. — Cunningham. >South Australia — Willunga Hill (doubtful). 
Victoria. Tasmania. .Tanuary, February, May. 
Cmtoreum iasmanicum Cunn. is so far only known from Tasmania. 
515. Castoreum cretaceum (Lloyd) Cunn. (Syns., Diploderma cretaceum Lloyd; 
I). dehiscens Lloyd.) (L., cretaceus, chalky). — Peridium subglobose to shortlv 
elliptical, f to |in. (1 to 1.5 cm.) diameter, without a rooting strand, dehiscing 
by the apex becoming torn into numerous (12 to 18) upright laciniae. Exo- 
peridiuni closely adherent to the endoperidium, appearing as a tenuous friable 
layer of loosely aggregated hyphal cells and earth particles : endoperidium 0.25 
to 0.5 mm. thick, tough, w’oody, brittle, bay-brown or chestnut-brown, pseudo- 
parenchymatous. Gleba pallid olivaceous ; capillitium threads scantily developed, 
fragile, thin, septate. Spores ellip.tical, 18 to 1(> x 5.5 to 7 u, apex acuminate 
or rounded, base with a distinct persistent stump of a jiedicel, cyovered wdth 
a coarsely verrucose, loosely fitting gelatinous tunic. — Cunningham. South Aus- 
tralia — Willunga Hill; on top of sandy soil in recently burnt country, Black- 
wood Gully near Kuitpo. Tasmania. April, August. 
The method of dehiscence is characteristic, the apical part of the eiidoperidjum 
becoming torn into numerous acuminate lobes wdiicli become upturned and give 
a peculiar castellated appearance to old specimens. — ^Cunningham. 
GEASTREAE. 
Peridium four-layered, endoperidium dehiscing by an apical stoma or by 
several such. Capillitium copious, attached, imbranclied. Spores globose, typi- 
cally echinulate; basidia 4 to 8-spored. 
GEASTER Micheli. 
(Gr., f)d, the earth; antcr, a star.) 
Peridium globose to acuminate, epigaean or hypogaoan. Exoperidium of three 
layers, an external mycelial layer, a middle fibrillose layer, and an internal 
fleshy layer; at first closely investing the endoperidium, but distinct, splitting 
at maturity from the apex downwards into several stellate rays, wdiich may be 
revolute or involute. Endoperidium pedicellate or sessile, membranous, or pajiy- 
raceous, thin, glabrous or variously roughened ; dehiscing by 'a single apical 
orifice, which may' be peristomate or naked. Gleba of capillitium and spores ; 
columella present' or wanting; capillitium threads simple, long, apically acumin- 
ate, arising from the columella or inner wall of the endoperidium. Spores globose 
or subglobose, continuous, C(doured, rough or smooth. Basidia sterigmate, 4 
to S-spored. Solitary, in groups, or caespitose on the ground or vegetalde debris 
in open pastui'es, under hedgerows or on the foi'est floor. — Cunningham. 
