170—LYCOPERDON CRUOIATUM. 
The plant that we have in this country usually known as Lvcoper- 
don separans, is the same as E. cruciatum in Europe Berkeley always 
so referred the American plant and Patouillard to whom we sent it so 
refers it. We have forwarded specimens of the European plant to 
Prof. Peck and he advises us he recognizes its identity with his species 
(separans) and will use the European name 
(cruciatum) in his future writings. 
Hollos in his recent article refers both 
names as synonyms of E. marginatum of 
Vittadini. It must be admitted that Vitta- 
dini’s figure, while different as to shape, is 
very suggestive especially as to the frag¬ 
ments of cortex he shows partly adherent 
to the margin (hence his name). But Vitta¬ 
dini, a most accurate observer and delinea¬ 
tor, describes the spores as “purpuras- 
centia” and as our plant never has purple 
spores we are not ready to admit its re¬ 
ference to Vittadini’s plant. Had the posi¬ 
tion been reversed and Vittadini’s descrip¬ 
tion called for olive spores while our plant 
had purple spores we would not have attached so much importance to 
it. It is well known now that the spores of Eycoperdons are probably 
all olive at early stages of development, and that the only color dis¬ 
tinction that can be made are species that have spores that finally turn 
purplish, and species that never do. 
171—A STRANGE PHALLOID EGG. 
Mrs. Hannah Streeter of Philadelphia, has kindly sent me a 
specimen that at first completely puzzled me. It looked just like an 
I though it was some new genus, of Gastro- 
mycetes the outer peridium having separated 
in a circumscissile way and peeled 
off. I sent it to Patouillard who says it 
must be the egg state of some phalloid. On 
a reexamination of the spores I should 
say that there was no question of it, but this 
does not clear the mystery. What phalloid 
has an egg state resembling an acorn ? 
Mrs. Streeter has kindly furnished the following notes about 
the growing plant. “When found, the lower part simulated in form a 
shallow acorn cup of wood color, with base as flat as a plate, holding 
a perfectly smooth, nearly round white ball. It gave no evidence of 
having parted with an outer peridium. The root-like prolongation 
looked like the tail of a mouse and was about lk( inches long. The 
plant shrank in drying to about one quarter its size when fresh and 
the peculiar sculptured surface is the result of shrivelling.” 
88 
acorn seated in its cup. 
Fig 49. 
Phalloid Egg. 
s 
Fig. 48. 
Lycoperdon cruciatum 
(The cortex peeling off.) 
