CLASSIFICATION. 
Gastromycetes can be readily divided into four families widely 
differing from each other as to the nature of the mature plants. 
FAM. 1.—PHAEEOIDEAE.—PHAEEOIDS. Plant fleshy, 
enclosed in a gelatinous volva when young. The gleba deliquescing 
and becoming a mucilaginous (generally foetid) mass. 
Phalloids are noted for the foetid odor that they have and for 
their bazarre shapes. They force themselves to the attention of the 
most unobserving and are often called such appropriate names as Stink 
Fungus, Stink Horns, Dead Mens’ Fingers. Our most common spe¬ 
cies are Phallus duplicatus, and Phallus Ravenelii. In the South, 
Clathrus columnatus. 
FAM. 2.—NIDUFARIACHAE.—NEST FUNGI. Plants 
shaped like little cups, opening at the top, and containing a number of 
little seed-like bodies (peridioles). They look something like little 
birds’ nests and are often called “Birds-nest fungi.” Crucibulum 
Xiilgare and NrehEarra- striatus are our most common species. 
FAM.3.—HYMENOGASTRACEAE—HYPOGEAE FUNGI. 
Peridium indehiscent; gleba cavities permanent, not resolved into a 
mass of spores; capillitium absent. 
This family is mostly subterranean like the true tubers or truf¬ 
fles. Harkness has recorded many species from the Pacific Coast, and 
we have seen three from the section east of the Mississippi. It is 
probably that many occur but have been overlooked on account of 
their subterranean habits. 
FAM. 4.—LYCOPERDACEAE.—PUFF BALES.—-Ripe peri¬ 
dium enclosing a mass of dry spores, often mixed with capillitium. 
Sometimes the gleba walls persist forming peridioles, but in those 
cases the peridioles are filled with a mass of dry powdery spores. 
The largest and most frequent tribe of Gastromycetes and em¬ 
bracing all the families known as “Puff-balls.” 
GENERA OF LYCOPERDACEAE. 
For the time being we will pass over the genera embraced in 
the first three families and enumerate the genera with which we are 
familiar, of the “puff-ball” family. We would divide the plants into 
four tribes. 
TRIBE l.—TYEOSTOMEAE—Plant stalked. Stalk dis¬ 
tinct from the peridium. Capillitium present. 
Peridium opening by an apical mouth, 
Volva indistinct, adherent,. Tylostoma. 
Volva cup-like,. Chlamydopus. 
Peridium circumscissal, . Battarrea. 
Peridium opening irregularly, 
Volva none, . ..QuELETiA. 
Volva thick, permanent,. Dictyocephalos. 
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