OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
321 
540. Calostoma fuscii.m (Berk.) Mass. (L., fmcus, dark) .— Exoperidiuin 
gelatinous-coriaceous, splitting circumscissilelj fioni the endoperidium and fall- 
ing away in one piece. Endoperidium to ijin. (1.75 cm.) diameter, depressed 
globose or turbinate, coriaceous, tough, dark-brown, almost black, (finely ami 
closely scabrid, appearing areolate under a lens; apex crowned with a 5 to 7 
(commonly (i) -rayed scarlet peristome; attached to the substratum be numerous 
subgelatinous rhizoids which are interwoven to form a pseudo-stem which may 
attain a length of I3 to 2gin. (3 to 6 cm.), and a width, of from f to ^in. 
(1 to 2 cm.). Spore sac ochraceous, pendent from tlie apex of the endo- 
peridium, perforate with an orifice communicating with the endoperidium, 
to -gin. (1 cm.) diameter and subgloboso in fresh specimens. Spores elliptical, 
with rounded ends, hyaline or tinted yellow, 11 to 16 x 8 to 10 /r, epispore 
closely pitted, appearing reticulated, 1 to 1.5 /r thick. — Uunningham. South 
Australia — Jlount Lofty, Second Valley Forest Reserve. Victoria. New South 
Wales. May, June. (Figure 71.) 
[Drawing hy H. V. Juatelms 
Figure 71 . — CaloHlonut fut^cum (Berk.) M.ass. (No. 540). 
NIDULARIALES. 
Peridiuju sessile, cupulate, campanulate or depressed globose, from 1 to 4- 
layered, dehiscing by rupture of an epiphragm covering the a})0x, or by ii'regular 
fissuring of the wall. Gleba enclosed in one or many lenticular peridiola, which 
may be embedded in mucilage or attached to the peridial Avail by funiculi. 
Capillitium absent. Basidia bearing apieally 2, 4 or 8 spores. Spores hyaline, 
smooth, variously shaped. 
NIDULARIACEAE. 
Peridium from 1 to 3-layered, cupulate or subglobose, dehiscing by rupture of 
an apical diaphragm, or by' fissuring of the w'all. Gleba of numerous peridiola 
embedded in mucilage or attached by funiculi to the peridial Avail. 
NIDULARIA (Fr.) Tub 
(L., niduhis, a little nest.) 
Peridium subglobose or do])ressed globose, sessile, composed of a single layer 
of Avoven hyphae; dehiscing by fissuring of the peridial Avail. Peridiola numer- 
ous, lenticular, embedded in mucilage, not attached by fnniculi. Basidia 4-spored. 
Growing scattered or in small gioups on decaying Avood, or on the ground on 
vegetable debris. — Cunningham. 
No South Australian species have been recorded. 
