Prof. Morgan describes Phallogaster saccatus as a Phalloid. 
Anyone who knows a Phalloid would place it there at once should he 
collect it. It has same spores, the same gleba, the same “smell” and 
“smell” is a strong feature of the Phalloids. It differs in form, but no 
more than does Clathrus, from Phallus. The compilers of Engler and 
Prantl have placed it in the Plectobasidiineae, a mixture of phalloids, 
Hymenogasters, Sclerodermae, etc., plants the mature forms of which 
have no resemblance to each other and which are thrown together 
because it is said the basidia are similiar. ISIo one who collects 
the plant will look for it there. And, by the way, the “Natural Order” 
Hymenogasteaceae was formerly a very natural order. One knew a 
Hymenogaster as soon as he picked it up. Now since the order has 
been fully illustrated by its basidial characters, he is a wise man who can 
tell a Hymenogaster when he finds it. It may be a more “scientific” 
method of classification, but for me I prefer one more practical. 
275—ERRONEOUS GENERA AND SPECIES. 
In working with the type specimes of puff balls in the museums 
of Europe, one cannot fail to be impressed with the large number of 
erreneous genera and species that have been proposed on imperfect 
material, mostly sterile bases of Calvatias and unopened Geasters. 
When one's attention has been so directed it is easy to recognize these 
conditions but unless we are on our guard it is a natural error to mis¬ 
take them for perfect plants. It may seem strange to us in America, 
where the genus Calvatia is common, and where we note the sterile 
bases abundantly every spring, that they should have deceived even 
the early botanists in Europe. We should bear in mind however, that 
those observers had no opportunity of studying this genus typically. 
It grows so common with us as to be familiar, but they did not know 
that there exists a genus in which the fertile portion wastes away leav¬ 
ing a sterile base that has a resemblance to a perfect plant. It is only 
natural therefore that they should take these bases for perfect plants 
especially as they find spores in the tissue. Whether these spores are 
accidental or whether the sterile base normally developes a few spores 
is a question I cannot answer but it is a fact that spores can usually be 
found in this tissue on microscopic examination. 
THE GENUS HIPPOPERDON. 
All species of this genus (with one exception) are founded on 
sterile bases of Calvatia. I was positive as soon as I saw the type spe¬ 
cimens of Montagne’s original species Hippoperdon Crucibulum (Syl. 
Crypt. No. 1057) and Hippoperdon turbinatum (Syl. Crypt. No. 1058) 
that they were both simply sterile bases. I think that Montague had a 
suspicion of it, as I find in his herbarium on the sheet of Hippoperdon 
Crucibulum a transcript of Bose’s Eyeoperdon cyathiformis of which 
plant it is the sterile base I am quite sure that Berkeley was aware 
of this for while abundant specimens are in his collection labeled 
Hippoperdon Crucibulum from Drummond New Orleans, he sent one 
of them to Montagne with a query the substance of which is ‘ If this 
is your genus Hippoperdon is it not also ‘our’ Bovista lilacina.” 
178 
