OP SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
319 
thick, ochraccious. Glel)a at first with, an olivaceous tinge, becoming iimbo'j 
tramal plates whitisli, becoming ilingy-grey, scanty. Spores globose, sometimes 
subglobose, !) to 12 fi, pallid ferruginous-brown, closely and coaisely eciiinulate; 
spines witli acuminate apices, narrow bases, and to 1.5 p- long. Growing solitary 
on the ground in sandy soil. — Cunningham. South Australia — Mount Lofty. 
Xew South Mhdes. Europe. Africa. Asia Minor. April to July. 
This species may be recognised by its brittle, thin peridium, externally covered 
with darker warts, the manner of dehiscence, small but distinct rooting base, 
and the cdiaracteristic cehinulate spores. The plant is usually smaller in Aus- 
tralia than in Eui’ope, ainl the spores are also slightly smaller. — Cunningham. 
536. Scleroderma flavidum Ellis et Everh. (L., fixn-idun, light yellowish). 
Plants solitary or gregarious, sometimes caespitose, growing half 'buried until 
maturity, to 2iu. (5 cm.) diameter, firm, pyriform or sui)-turbinate, often lobed, 
usually plicate below, contracting into a mass of mycelial fibres, which occasion- 
ally form a conspicuous stem-like base. Peridium when dry tough, leathei'y and 
sehiom brittle, to 1 mm. thick, dehiscing by irregular rupture into several lobes, 
which in old weathered plants frequently become recurved ami stellate; pallid- 
straw colour, bright lemon-yellow, or tinged vinaceous, often drying dingy-brown, 
finely areolate above, sometimes almost smooth. Gleba at first olivaceous, be- 
coming dingy-ferruginous or umber-brown; tramal plates often subpersistent, 
yellow. Spores globose, 10 to 1-1 y (commionly 10 to 13 /x), coarsely and densely 
cehinulate; spines acuniinately pointed, somewhat nariow at their bases, to 1.5 
y long. Growing on sandy soil, or partially buried in clay or rock cuttings. — 
Cunningliam. South Australia — Near Adelaide, Mount Lofty Ranges, Kuitpo, 
Sellick’s Beach scrub. Encounter Bay, Kinchina, Overland Corner, Wilpena 
(Flinders Range). New South Wales — Mootwingio Gorge (60 miles north of 
Broken Hill). Western Australia. Now Zealand. Africa. March to August, 
November, Dcoemlicr. 
Forma rn,a.crosporwm Cunn. (Giv, makroH, long; spora, a seed). — Spores larger, 
to 19 fjL (commonly 14 to 16 p.) and with more coarse spines, which sometimes 
appear as fused warts. Otherwise identical with the typical form. — Cunningham. 
South Australia — Mount Lofty, Mount Remarkable. New' Soutli Wales. 
Victoria. Western Australia. Tasmania. New Zealand. February, March, May 
to October. 
The characters of the species (typical form) are the firm, areolate, relatively 
thick peridium, method of dehiscence and frequent stellate ap])earance of old 
specimens, subpersistent tramal plates, and definitely eehinulate sjjores. Tlie 
form macrosporum appears to differ only in that the spores are larger and more 
coarsely waited; but as numerous intermediate forms occur it is not possible 
to separate it other than as a form. — Cunningham. 
537. Scleroderma radicans Lloyd. (L., radicana, rooting). — Plants solitary, to 
2in. (5 cm.) diameter, subglobos'e, obovate or subpyriform. Arm, plicate below', 
with usually a strong compact mycelial rooting base which is not broken into 
fibres but forms a solidly interwoven tissue of hyphae and sand. Peridium when 
drv hard, firm and wood}', dehiscing by irregular breaking away of the upper 
portion; ’not lobed, long indehiscent, externally furfuraceous or minutely and 
irregularly areolate, pallid-white, becoming ochraceous; in section to ;> mm. thick, 
commonly 1.5 to 2 mm., but thicker Vrelow and. pallid-ochraceous. Gleba at fii'st 
ferruginous, becomirrg umber; tramal plates white, becoming greyish, scanty and 
practically disappearing in old j)larrts. Spores globose, ehestnut-lriiown, 12 to 
14 p (up to 16 /i), densely closely verrucose-echinrrlate ; spines acuminate at 
their apices, nmderately broad at their bases, and (including the wadi of the 
spore) to 2 p long. Gi'owing under scrub, often buried irr sand. ( irnningham. 
South Arrstralia — Mirrray River, rrear Overlarrd Corner (?). New South Males. 
Victoria. Western Australia. 
This species is characterised by the thick, hard, and woody penidium, whicli 
basally attains a thickness of 5 mm., pallid colour, greyish, scantily developed 
tramal plates, and peculiar nooting base. This last consists of a dense tissue 
of interw'oven hypliae in part mixed with sand, and is quite distinct from the 
fibrous rooting system of other sx>ecies. — Cunningham. 
