THE GENUS GALVATIA. 
Sterile base none, or usually well developed. Peridium flaccid 
and brittle, dehiscing by the breaking up of the upper portion. Capil- 
litium long, intertwined. The genus, although it is usually advertised 
as “Fries,” was made known to science by Morgan,an American author. 
It is just beginning to be recognized in Europe. Formerly it was in¬ 
cluded in Lycoperdon but differs in the dehiscence of the peridium. In 
Eycoperdon the peridium opens by a small definite mouth. In Calva- 
tia it breaks up in pieces and falls away exposing the gleba Lycoper- 
dons are usually small plants. Calvatia embraces all of the large 
species formerly called Eycoperdons. 
CAEVATIA EIEACINA (Plate 35, fig. 1).—Sterile base usu¬ 
ally strongly developed, sometimes almost none. Cortex smooth. 
Gleba always purplish, sometimes bright lilac color, sometimes more 
grayish but always with a purplish tinge. Capillitium long, branched, 
intertwined, uniform threads, very light colored under the microscope. 
Spores globose, rough, 5-7 mic. 
This is a plant of world wide distribution and very variable as 
to the development of the sterile base. It can always be known by the 
purplish color of the gleba. In Europe it is of a southern range and 
has been usually called Eycoperdon fragile. In the United States it 
is very abundant extending north into Canada. Since the publication 
of Morgan’s work it is generally known as Calvatia cyathiformis.* In 
Australia it is equally common and numerous specimens have reached 
Europe. The plant being quite variable has a number of synonyms of 
which Bovista lilacina (Hook. Jour. 45-62), Eycoperdon Novae-Zeal- 
andiae (Ann. Nat. Sci. 3-5-162), and Eycoperdon lilacinum (Handb. 
Aust. Fung), have been applied to, the Australian plant. 
Specimens in our Collection. 
Australia, Adelaide , Walter Gill. Sydney, R. T. Baker. Grantville, J. T, Paul. 
New Zealand, Wellington, Miss Jessie Dunn. 
New Caledonia, donated by P. Hariot, Museum, Paris. 
CAEVATIA CAEEATA (Plate 
36, fig. 1,2,3 and 4).—Plant obovoid 
or turbinate, rarely subglobose. 
Cortex a thick, floccose layer com¬ 
posed of dense warts split, forming 
coalescent spines, much split at the 
basef This cortex breaks up in 
an areolate manner, and finally dis¬ 
appears from old specimens of the 
sterile bases. Peridium breaking 
away irregularly forming a large 
lacerate opening. Gleba olive Cap¬ 
illitium of deeply colored threads two 
"•'•While we employed this name at first, we have discarded it. It was founded on a blunder, 
and has no application whatever to the plant except a false one On the other hand the name 
lilacina which Berkeley proposed is as suitable a name as could be applied to it 
|A better idea of this cortex than we can express in words is given by our figure (39), enlarged. 
35 
