80 
TENTH REPORT. 
(1) Sclerodermcitaceae. 
Fruit-body irregularly globose, with no stalk. Capillitium rudimentary. 
Scleroderma, the only genus represented, is normally above ground. Melan- 
ogaster is a subterranean tuber-like plant, and should be found in the state. 
Scleroderma. 
Scleroderma differs from ordinary puff-balls in its tough, hard, and leathery 
peridium, and the dark-colored sporemass, each spore being covered till 
almost ripe by a layer of hyphae. Not edible. 
Key to species. (Adapted from Lloyd.) 
(a) Peridium opening by stellate lobes (b) 
(a) Peridium opening by an irregular mouth ’.(c) 
(b) Peridium thick, rough and black 1. Scleroderma Geaster Fr. 
(b) Peridium thick, smooth, yellowish 2. Scleroderma flavidum. Ell. 
(c) Peridium vellowish-buff, thin, dotted with dark, angular, small scales. 
Never verrucose 3. Scleroderma verrocosum Vaill. 
(c) Peridium furrowed or sculptured 4. Scleroderma vulgare. Fr. 
1. Scleroderma Geaster Fr. has not yet been found in the state.; 
Other names; 
Sclerangium polyrhizon (Gmel.) Lev. (In Engler and 
PrantL) 
Stella americana Massee. (per Lloyd.) 
2. Scleroderma flavidum. Ell. 
Reported from Mich, by Longyear in 4th Report. Unopened plants 
look like forms of Scleroderma vulgare. 
3. Scleroderma verrucosum (Bull.) Pers. 
Other names: 
Scleroderma Bovista (In Ellis’ N. A. F.) (per Trelease.) 
Common about Ann Arbor. Thruout the state. Sometimes it is 
somewhat stalked. 
4. Scleroderma vulgare Fr. 
Other names: 
Scleroderma aurantiacum (Vaill.) Pers. \ , T , , , 
Scleroderma cepa / (P er Ll °y d '> 
Quite variable, form depending on the weather. Thruout the state. 
2. Calostomataceae. 
Two genera are included here. Only one, Astraeus, has been reported. 
This has the appearance of a true Geaster, and used to be placed there. The 
other genus is Calostoma; this has the peridium raised on a root-like, cart- 
ilaginous stalk. The highly differentiated, several-layered peridium (head), 
distinguishes this family. 
Astraeus stellatus (Scop.) E. Fischer. 
Other names: 
Geaster hygrometricus Pers. 
Astraeus hygrometricus Morg. 
The 5-15 or more segments are very rigid, and very hygroscopic. Plants 
medium size. It develops underground, generally on sandy soil. Thru- 
out the state. 
3. Tylostomaceae. 
Fruit-bodv distinctly stalked, developing from below ground. The stems 
are more or less uniform in thickness, with a puff-ball like head. It dehisces 
