This plant has a strange history. As far as we know it was 
first collected by Morgan in an unexpanded form and sent to Cooke, 
Geaster velutinus 
Fig, 66. Geaster velutinus. 
who hailed it with delight as a re-discovery of the long-lost genus 
‘‘Cycloderma” (see Grevillea 1882, p. 95) and named it Cycloderma 
Ohiensis. We have “type specimens” of this plant given us by Mor¬ 
gan. We first collected it in the same condition and determined and 
distributed it as above. In 1898 Hugo Bilgram of Philadelphia, sent 
us a fine lot of a Geaster, new to us but mixed with a number of un¬ 
expanded specimens that we recognized as “Cycloderma Ohiensis.” 
Comparison with “type” specimen leaves no question. When Morgan 
found the expanded plant he did not recognize the “Cycloderma Ohien¬ 
sis” he had sent Cooke, but described as a new species Geaster velu¬ 
tinus. During a trip I made to Samoa (winter of 1899) I gathered a 
Geaster and sent it to Bresadola, which was described in Myc. Notes, 
p. 50, as “Geaster Lloydii.” The plant was very dark colored, almost 
black, and densely velutinate, and the mouth is not definite, but a 
comparison of the specimens now with our American, leaves no doubt 
in my mind as to their being the same species. We are glad we are 
not priorists and therefore do not have to adopt the name “Geaster 
Ohiensis” for this plant, although we might write “Lloyd" after it ; 
for “Ohiensis” was based on a mistake in the first place and is a local 
name not fitting to a plant that grows in Samoa. 
Specimens in our Collection. 
Canada, Wm. Dearness. Pennsylvania , Hugo Bilgram. North Carolina, CL. 
C. Beardslee. Ohio, C. G. Lloyd, A. P. Morgan, (Type of Cycloderma Ohiensis) 
Samoa, C. G. Lloyd, (Type of Geaster Lloydii). 
85 
