THE “ATROPURPUREUM” SECTION. 
Gleba purplish, spores large, rough, mixed with separated pedi¬ 
cels. This is a strongly marked section in Europe and America em¬ 
bracing such species as echinatum, atropurpureum, velatum and others 
all of which have nearly the same gleba and spores but differ in cortex 
characters. The only specimens we have seen of this section from 
Australia were called Lycoperdon violascens(Trans. R Mic. Soc.87-706). 
The specimens are old with smooth, very thin peridia but the cortex 
characters by which the species of this section are distinguished, hav¬ 
ing disappeared, we feel the specimens cannot be satisfactorily referred. 
LYCOPERDON COPROPHILUM. — Plant 
subglobose, with white mycelium roots, cortex of 
short stiff, scabrous spines. Sterile base none. 
Gleba dark with faint tinge of purple. Spores small, 
(4 mic.) apiculate, slightly rough. Grew on dry 
cakes of cow manure. 
This is a most peculiar species known only 
from Australia, and the only puff-ball to our know¬ 
ledge growing on cakes of manure. It does not be¬ 
long to the atropurpureum section of the genus hav¬ 
ing spores much too small, but we place it here for 
the present to avoid multiplying the sections. The type specimens at 
Kew (fig. 37) are from F. M. Bailey, Brisbane. 
AN “ANOMALOUS” SECTION. 
There is an anomalous section in the genus Lycoperdon which 
I doubt will be retained in the genus when its life history becomes 
known. The gleba is characterized by the scantiness of the capillitium 
and its nature is usually that of shreds rather than threads. The gleba 
has a resemblance to that of Eycogala though the plants are not 
Myxomyeetes. Most of the species have very 
small, rough spores, the following being the 
only species we know with smooth spores. 
LYCOPERDON TEPHRUM. — Peri- 
dium thick, and rigid. Cortex minute 
nodules. Sterile base none. Gleba olive. 
Capillitium scanty. Spores smooth globose 
4 mic. 
Grows on rotten wood. The plant (fig. 
38) externally has a different appearance 
from Lycoperdons, but it is easier to note 
the difference than to describe it. 
Specimens in our Collection. 
Sydney Australia, R. T. Baker. 
Note —I did not find type specimens of the following 
species or they were so scanty that I could gain no definite 
idea of them, Tycoperdon substellatum, (Trans. R. Mic. Soc. 
87-720), Uycoperdon reticulatum (Flora N. Zea. 2-190) I,yco- 
perdon mundulum (Grev. 9-3). The specimen from Austra¬ 
lia referred to Tycoperdon Cookei I should call a Bovistella. 
34 
Fig, 37. 
