Geographical Distribution. 
This plant is distributed through Europe and United States. (*) 
Specimens in our Collection. 
Canada , Wm. Dearness. Minnesota, Minn. Bot. Survey. Iowa, W.J. Teeters. 
Pennsylvania, Dr. Wm. Herbst. California, L. E. Benton, (specimen from A. P. 
Morgan). 
England, Chas. Crossland. Hungary, Dr. L. Hollos. 
Explanation of Figures. 
Fig. 16. Geaster mammosus, expanded. Fig. 17. Same, unexpanded. Fig. 
16 and 17b. Specimens from Chas. Crossland, England. Fig. 17a. From John 
Dearness, Canada. 
SECTION 2.—NON-RIGIDAE. 
This section is readily recognized from the previous by the segments of the 
exoperidium not drying strongly incurved over the endoperidium. Two species 
which we include in this section (Smithii and arenarius) have a strong tendency 
toward the previous section, but the tips only of the exoperidium segments dry in¬ 
curved, not the entire exoperidium. We divide the section into two subsections. 
Mouths sulcate (see following) 
Mouths even, (see page 22.) 
SPECIES WITH SULCATE MOUTHS.—NON-RIGIDAE. 
Plants of this section are distinguished from the following section by the 
sulcate (not even) mouths. It is a question if the same plant under different con¬ 
ditions cannot have a mouth that varies, sulcate or even. If that is so then Geaster 
Morganii becomes G. lageniformis and Geaster arenarius becomes G. Smithii. We 
think while it is possible it is not proven, for our observation is that plants of 
the same collection have mouths either all sulcate, or all even. 
Omitting from discussion at present G. Morganii (which differs in being 
truly sessile and usually saccate) and G. Smithii, (which is unique in itself,) there 
remains in this section G. pectinatus, G. Bryantii, G. Schmidelii and G. asper. 
These four plants no doubt should be truly considered as forms of one species, but 
as they never run into each other so closely that there is trouble in naming them, 
we think it better to present them as distinct species. At the same time they have 
been so confused in literature it is almost a hopeless task to straighten out the 
tangled threads. All have strongly sulcate beaked mouths, all pedicels either 
short or long, all exoperidia usually revolute. All are covered partly in the text 
and partly in citations of Fries “striatus” and no doubt that conglomerate species 
of Fries is responsible for the confusion that has since existed. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
Mouth long beaked, pedicel slender, inner peridium usually 
striate beneath,.(5) 
Mouth long beaked ; pedicel slender ; inner peridium with a cir¬ 
cular groove beneath,. .(6) 
Mouth short beaked ; pedicel short, thick; peridium neither 
striated nor grooved,.(7) 
Mouth short beaked ; inner peridium short pedicellate, asperate (8) 
Mouth conical, inner peridium sessile, .(9) 
Mouth flattened conical, depressed,..(10) 
pectinatus. 
Bryantii. 
Schmidelii. 
asper. 
Morganii. 
Smithii. 
(*) Notwithstanding Massee’s statement “The North American specimens under this name 
are certainly not the true species.” 
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