BOA ISTELLA. GUNNII—Plant subglobose (with little or no 
sterile base) Cortex furfuraceous. Gleba olive-umber. Capillitium 
long, branched, intertwined with pointed branches. Spores globose, 
smooth, 5 mic. with long pedicels. 
This plant is based on one collection by Gunn, Tasmania, now at 
Kew. It differs from preceding species in its subglobose form and absence 
(entire?) of sterile base. The nature of the cortex is similar to that 
of Bovistella Ohiensis, the common species of the United States but the 
threads are quite different. It was described (Flo. Tasmania 2, 264), 
as Eycoperdon Gunnii. 
THE GENUS LYCOPERDON. 
Peridium flaccid, with or without a sterile base, opening by a 
small definite mouth. Cortex smooth, or usually covered with spines, 
either minute or large, which are generally arranged in fours. Capilli¬ 
tium of long, branched, intertwining threads. Spores usually globose, 
(sometimes oval) rough or smooth, often apiculate but not pedicellate. 
This is the largest and most difficult genus of puff-balls. It is 
very abundant in the temperate regions and the numerous species form 
a large part of the “puff-ball flora’' of these regions. In Australia it is 
not relatively so abundant and if we should judge by the specimens 
(26) that we have received from our Australian correspondents they 
mostly belong to two types, the “polymorphum” and the “pratense” 
type. There are a few others at Kew, but very few. 
THE ‘‘POLYMORPHUM” SECTION. 
Cortex of very minute, furfuraceous spines. Spores olive, 
smooth, capillitium long branched, deeply colored threads. Sterile base 
compact, varying much in its development. 
The sterile base and its relative development even in plants of 
the same collection is a very varying factor. The following “species”, 
depending largely on size and absence of development of the sterile 
base, are really forms of one species. 
LYCOPERDON POLYMORPHUM (Plate 34, fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 
5 and 6).—Cortex of minute furfuraceous spines, (rarely coalescing to 
form little warts). Gleba compact, olive. Sterile base peculiar, be¬ 
ing formed of compact tissue of very small or no cells, very similar to 
the fertile portion.* Capillitium long, intertwined, deeply colored 
threads. Spores globose, olive, smooth, 4 mic. 
This plant is quite common in Europe and Australia. In the 
United States, it usually takes a subglobose form, with a very little 
sterile base (called Lycoperdon cepaeforme). There is a tradition in 
Europe that it is the plant illustrated by Schaeffer (t. 294) under the 
name Lycoperdon furfuraceuin and the plant is often still so called in 
European works. The cut of Schaeffer is very crude and doubtful. 
The first definite information we were able to obtain in tracing it back 
in European history is the work of Vittadini where the plant is well 
♦Usually the sterile base of Lycoperdon is composed of large cells very different from the 
fertile portion. 
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