Australian Genera of Lycoperdaceae. 
It is not in the province of this pamphlet to consider the first 
three families of the Gastromycetes, and the following key embraces 
only the Lycoperdaceae. 
TRIBE l.—PODAXINEAE.—Plant stalked. Stalk continu¬ 
ous to the apex forming an axis. 
Gleba a mass of spores and capillitium surrounding the axis, 
.. . Pod axon. 
Gleba of permanent cells, not resolved into a mass of spores, 
Peridinm wanting . . Gymnoglossum. 
Peridium dehiscing by breaking away at the base, 
.- Secotium. 
Dehiscence of peridium unknown .... Ceavogastkr. 
TRIBE 2.—TYLOSTOMEAE. — Plant stalked. Stalk dis¬ 
tinct from the peridium, or not continuous as an axis to the apex. 
Peridium opening by an apical mouth, 
Stipe inserted into a “socket” at the base of the 
peridium . .... ... Tylostoma. 
Peridium seated on the dilated apex of the stalk, 
. . Chramydopus. 
Peridium dehiscing by an irregular opening, 
Peridium continuous with the stipe . . . Phellorina. 
Peridium opening circumscissally . Battarrea. 
TRIBE 3.—SCLP:RODERMEAE. Gleba of globose rough 
spores mixed with fragments of the hyphae tissue. Capillitium none. 
Walls of the gleba cells persistent, forming peridioles 
... . Polysaccum. 
Walls of the gleba cells mostly disappearing, or only 
partly persistent. Scleroderma. 
TRIBE 4.—LYCOPERDEAE. — Plant not stalked. Spuremass 
dry spores mixed with capillitium. 
Tribal Alliance 1. —Geastrae. — Earth Stars.—P eri¬ 
dium double, outer peridium thick, persistent, splitting into segments 
and recurving . ... . Geastlr. 
Tribal Alliance 2.—Bovistae,—Tumblers. —Outer peri¬ 
dium thin. Inner peridium firm or cartilaginous. Mature plant 
loosened from place of growth. 
Peridium cartilaginous. Capillitium of separate threads 
with slender pointed branches . . . Bovista. 
Peridium thick. Capillitium of separate threads bearing 
spiny points . . Mycenastrum. 
Peridium firm. Capillitium threads mostly simple, short, 
unbranched with blunt ends. Catastoma. 
4 
