2 
Journal of Mycology 
[Vol. 11 
A NEW SPECIES OF SPHAEROSOMA. 
FRED JAY SEAVER. 
The genus Sphcerosoma was first described by Klotzsch 
about the year 1840 and was then represented by one species, 
Sphcerosoma fuse esc ensy which was described by him at that time, 
the exact description being given below for the purpose of com¬ 
parison. Since that time two other species have been reported, 
Sphcerosoma ostiolatum Tulasne, Fungi Hypogaei, p. 184; and 
Sphcerosoma fragile Hesse. Jahrbuecher fuer Wissenschaftliche 
Botanik, published by Pringsheim, pp. 248 to 254. 
CLASSIFICATION OF SPHAEROSOMA. 
DISCOMYCETES. 
Ascomycetous fungi with the hymenium, or fruiting surface, well 
exposed at maturity. 
HELVELLINEiE. 
Receptacle stipitate and more or less clavate or pileate, or sessile 
and spreading; fleshy, waxy or rarely gelatinous. Hymenium always 
exposed. 
RHIZINACEAE. 
Receptacle fleshy-waxy, brittle, sessile. Hymenium exposed from 
the first, plane or convex. Asci cylindrical, operculate. Paraphyses nu¬ 
merous, free. 
SPHAEROSOMA KLOTZSCH. 
Receptacle fleshy, sessile, convolute, roundish, outer surface covered 
entirely by the hymenium, within sterile. Asci cylindrical. Sporidia 
spherical, verrucose, hyaline. 
Sphcerosoma echinulatum Seaver n. sp. Plants gregari¬ 
ous or scattered, occasionally crowded, sessile, 1 to 8 mm. in diam¬ 
eter ; at first almost spherical and regular in outline, becoming con¬ 
volute with age, especially on the upper surface, often umbilicate; 
lower surface sterile, nearly plane, attached to the soil near the 
center by delicate hyphse, very easily detached; at first white or 
whitish becoming reddish-brown on the exposed surface, then 
dark brown; the color begins with a brown spot in the center of 
the upper surface and spreads until it covers all of the exposed 
surface; at maturity having a brown velvety appearance due to 
the large, brownish paraphyses which extend far beyond the asci; 
under-surface light colored; hymenium at maturity covering the 
exposed surface of the plant, composed of very large asci and 
paraphyses; asci 40 to 50 by 300 to 500 mic., clavate, 8-spored; 
sporidia globose, at first smooth, filled with numerous guttulae, 
and surrounded with a transparent exospore, gradually becoming 
rough on the outside, at maturity covered with spines which are 
several times as long as broad; spines 4 to 5 mic. in length by 
