cidedly oval and those are marked with a f in our list of specimens. 
Morgan suggests that it is B. ovalispora of Massee. We think it is 
rather B. fulva of the same author (described from immature speci¬ 
mens) and that B. ovalispora bears the same relations to B. nigres- 
cens that “B. fulva” does to B. plumbea. 
204—BOVISTA PILA. 
(Plate 2.) 
Usually globose, or somewhat plicate at the base, from four to 
eight cm. in diameter. Old specimens from which the cortex has dis¬ 
appeared are black or bronzed color. The cortex is early broken into 
granules which finally disappear, leaving the peridium smooth and 
shiny. The peridium opens by an irregular torn aperture. Spore mass 
firm, compact, at first olivaceous, finally dark purplish brown. Capil- 
litium threads much branched, with short, thick, rigid, tapering 
branches. Spores globose, even, 4-5 me. in diameter, usually without 
a pedicel, sometimes with a very short one. 
Bovista pila is the only large species in this country. In size 
and general appearance it closely resembles B. nigrescens of Europe 
and the early mycologists (Schweinitz, Curtis and Berkeley at first) 
took it for nigrescens. When Berkeley worked over the American 
Bovistas for Grevillea (1873) he no doubt noticed the discrepancy in 
the spores and having a young specimen from Wisconsin he inaccur¬ 
ately described it as being “finely tomentose.” If he recognized as 
the same plant the specimen he had previously called B. nigrescens for 
Tea he made no mention of the fact. When Ellis worked with the 
plant he evidently noted that it had the same capillitium threads as 
Bovistella Ohiensis. Cooke had written Ellis that they were the threads 
of Mycenastrum (Cooke’s idea of Mycenastrum threads was certainly 
vague at that time). Ellis therefore first called it Mycenastrum Ore- 
gonense and published it under that name. Afterwards Cooke wrote 
Ellis that the species was Berkeley’s Bovista pila. Morgan who was 
in close touch with Ellis thus published it, and since Morgan’s work 
appeared, the plant has been generally known in this country under 
this name. If Berkeley had purposely exerted his utmost ingenuity, 
he could not have selected a more inappropriate name. The plant 
is never pilose ’ and when perfectly ripe is the smoothest of the smooth 
species. 
Specimens in our Collection. 
Canada, A. J. Hill. Maine, (obovate form, see plate 2. fig. 5) F. K. Vree- 
land, P. L. Ricker. New Hampshire, Mrs. A. R. Warner. Massachusetts , Simon 
Davis, D. Leroy Sargent. New York, C. L. Wakeman. Pennsylvania, Dr. Wm. 
Herbst. West Virginia, Dr. J. Gilbert Selby, C. G. Lloyd. Ohio, C. G. Lloyd. 
Minnesota, E. P. Ely, Dr. N. M. Cook. Michigan, W. H. Aiken (see plate 2, fig. 
4), Mrs. Eugene Wright, L. E. Weld, C. G. Lloyd. Iowa, T. J. Fitzpatrick, W. 
J. Teeters, T. J. Macbride. Colorado, E. Bethel. Washington, W. N. Suksdorf. 
North Carolina, A. G. Wetherby. 
It will thus be noticed that the plant is principally of a northern range and 
extends from coast to coast. Michigan supplies us specimens in the greatest abun¬ 
dance. The only Southern station we know is North Carolina. 
The plant does not grow in Europe. 
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