Specimens in our Collection. 
Washington, W. N. Suksdorf. Colorado, E. Bethel, E. B Sterling F K 
\ reeland. Nebraska, Rev. J. M. Bates. Kansas, E. Bartholomew. Minnesota 
Minn. Bot. Survey. Michigan , B. O. Bongyear. 
Hungary, Dr. Hollos. 
218—MITREMYCES. 
This genus having dry spores, but no capillitium, we have 
placed in the Tribe Sclerodermeae (see Genera of Gastromyoetes, 
p. 11). It has little in common with Scleroderma, and is placed 
herein for convenience (see note 1. c.) It is a peculiar genus, none 
being stranger in the entire puff-ball family, presenting, as it does, 
many characters possessed by no other genus. One of the species has 
the peridium red, while all of the American species have mouths of 
peridium red. "Red” puff-balls are so exceptional that they are of 
particular interest. In addition, young plants of the most common 
species are enveloped in a thick gelatinous, volva-like peridium; no 
other genus has this character. 
THE GELATINOUS EXOPERIDIUM. 
The manner in which the gelatinous layer separates from the 
inner peridium has been variously described and illustrated. I think 
the conclusions are all based on observation, but concern different 
species. In fact, I believe the manner of separation of the gelatinous 
layer is peculiar in and to each of our three species. Bose, who was 
one of the first to describe and illustrate the plant, says in substance: 
“The globose head is covered with a glutinous volva, which opens at 
the base in eight or nine divisions, which falls off at maturity.” His 
illustration shows the layer as a kind of cap, free and lobed at the base.* 
Bose’s cut is no doubt a crude representation of any species, but 
, is probably based on Ravenelii or lutescens. 
Prof. Beardslee writes me: “Mitremyces Ravenelii, as I have 
found it in a dozen stations at Asheville, has no gelatinous coat, but 
is always covered with a scurvy coat which breaks away from the base 
first, the last piece separating like a cap from the apex.” 
Hitchcock states: “It (the exoperidium) opens at the top, 
beginning to .separate into numerous divisions or rays, like the petals 
of a flower.” This refers to Mitremyces lutescens only, the remains 
of these dried “rays” being shown in our illustration (plate 9, fig. 1). 
I have had an opportunity to observe the separation of the 
exoperidium of Mitremyces cinnabarinus, which however, no way 
resembles either of these descriptions. Nor does Burnap’s description 
(Bot. Gazette, 1897), and his figure (4), in my opinion, correctly 
present it. 
The exoperidium is not, as seems to be the general supposition, 
a uniform gelatinous layer like the volva of a phalloid. It appears to 
be of two layers, a very thin inner cartilaginous layer (bright red in 
M. cinnabarinus), to which is attached a thick gelatinous outer layer. 
*It is probably in reference to this that Nees von Esenbeck selected the name Mitremyces. 
viz., mitre fungus, comparing this cap to the head-dress known as a mitre. I formerly thought 
it referred to the raised mouth with its “mitred ” grooves. (See Myc. Notes, p. (59). 
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