OF SOUTH AUSTRAITA. 
317 
531. Geaster fimbriatus Fr. (L., pnhriatus, frin^^cd ) .—Plants globose, sub- 
merged, becoming expanded when up to ]iim (3 cm.) across. Exoperidium 
saccate, split to about the middle into (i to IS unequal, flaccid, bluntly ])ointed 
rays which are tardily expanded or with the tips only of the rays ’ revolute ; 
fleshy layer bay-brown or umber, continuous, adnate; exterior wholly covered 
with debris held by the adnate mycelial layer, which may jjartially flake away on 
weathering, base convex, ])lane or concave. Endoperidium sessile, J, to sin. (fl.5 
to 1 cm.) diameter, depressed-globose, dingy white to umber, glabrous, smooth. 
Mouth either an indeterminate ajierture with a fibrous and lacerate margin, or 
defined by a slightly depressed concolorous or lightei' zone ; sometimes ap])roaching 
the fibrous condition. Gleba umber; columella insvident. 8pores globose, 3.3 to 
4.5 iJ . ; epispore fuscous, closely and finely verrucose, reticulate. In small groups 
on the ground ; hypogaean. — Cunningham. South Australia — Fullai ton, Kinchina, 
Sandergrove, Mount Dutton Bay (E.P.). New South Wales. Victoria. Tas- 
mania. Europe. America. May, .Tune, August, October, November. 
532. Geaster floriformis A'ittad. (Ij., flos, floris, a flower; forma, form, shape). 
— Plants at first globose, submerged, becoming superficial and ex|)anded when 
f, to 2Jin. (2 to (i cm.) across. Plxoperidium split to about the middle into 
7 to 12 subequal, narrow, acute rays which are expanded when wet, strongly 
involute when dry, then folding completely over (rarely under) the endoperidium; 
fleshy layer adnate, smooth, umber, rimose when ohi ; exterior at first covered 
with debris held by the closely adnate mycelial layer, soon flaking away and 
leaving exposed the glabrous, ocliraceous or brown fibi'ous layer; base strongly 
umbilicate. Endoperidium up to Sin. (1.5 cm.) diameter, sessile, depressed- 
globose, minutely furfuraceous, glabrous when old. Mouth naked, indefinite, 
conical or more frequently plane, irregularly torn and apically fibrillose in old 
specimens. Gleba umber; columella small, cylindrical. Spores globose or sub- 
globose, 5.4 to 7.4 |u; epispore dark brown, closely and coarsely warteil. In 
groups on. the ground. — Cunningham. South Australia — Adelaide, Ahlinga Bay, 
Port Elliot, Kinchina, Ooldea, near Echo Hill (200 miles west of Oodnadatta). 
New South Wales. Victoria. New Zealand. Europe. Nortli America. South 
Africa. March, .Tune to August, October, November. 
533. Geaster simulans Ijloyd. (Ij., simulans, ix'sembling). — Plants globose, 
submerged, becoming superficial and expanded when up to llin. (4 cm.) across. 
Exoperidium split to about the middle into 7 to 8 unequal, acute rays, which are 
expanded when wet, involute when dry, folding over or usually under the endo- 
peridium, sometimes drying partially expanded; fleshy layer thick, adnate, umber, 
rimose or continuous; exterior at first covered with debris lield bv the adnate 
mycelial layer, usually flaking away, leaving exposed the ochraceous oi' bay-brown 
fibrous layer; base strongly umliilicate. Endoi)eridium sessile, depiressed-globose, 
up to §in. (1.5 cm.) diameter, glabrous, ochraceous. Mouth a minute, indefinite, 
plane aperture, lacerate or fibrillose when old, slightly wrinkled or folded. Gleba 
ferruginous, columella inevident. Hpores globose, 4 to 5.2 ej)ispore fuscous, 
finely, evenly and closely verruculose, reticulate. Solitary or in small group)S 
on the ground. — Cunningham. South Australia — Kinchina. New South M ales. 
August, October. 
MYRIOSTOMA Desv. 
(Gr., myrios, countless; stoma, a mouth.) 
Peridium subglobose ; exoperidium consisting of two layers, a fibrous or 
mycelial layer, and a pseudoparenchymatous layer, thick, fleshy-coriaceous, 
splitting at 'maturity from the apepc downwards into several star-like lobes which 
become reflexed; endoperidium membranaceous, then papyraceous, thin, supported 
on several short stems, dehiscing by many apertures or mouths. Capillitium 
threads simple, rarely branidied, tapering at the eml. Spores coloured, minutely 
verrucose, globose. Superficial. — Rea. 
No species recorded for South Australia. 
SCLERODERMATALES. 
Peridium epigaeaii, sessile or attached by a jiseudo-stem, from 1 to 3-layered; 
'dehiscing by an apical pore or by irregular a])ical Assuring. Gleba at maturity 
pulverulent' (or partially so), without capillitium. Basidia inflated, bearing 
in an irregular manner a variable number (1 to 12) of spores. — Cunningham. 
