2 
at Paris, London or Berlin. Thanks to the gentlemen who have sent us 
perfect specimens we can now give a good illustration of it. 
An unknown donor of Brazil sends us a very similar plant Lasiosphaera 
Argentina (which was “ described ” as “ Lanopila ? Argentina.”) This 
plant if very similar to the plant of India, same capillitium, spores a very 
little smaller, and thin peridium evidently caducous. The main differ- 
•ence is in the color of the gleba, which in the South American plant is 
lighter color. Perhaps, however, that is due to age. The genus 
Lasiosphaera is, I think, only known from these two countries. 
The common large puff-ball of Europe and America reaches me from 
Robert Brown, New Zealand. This species Calvatia gigantea, 
known as the “ giant puff-ball,” has received many specific names 
<(Bovista, maxima, &c.) It grows over a wide range in Europe, America, 
and Australia, and is the plant frequently mentioned on account of its 
•enormous size. It has bright yellow gleba and globose spores. 
A very similar plant, excepting that the spores are not globose but 
slightly oval or piriform, reaches me from J. Q. O., Tepper, Australia, 
and Mrs. Blanch Trask, Catalina Island (near California mainland). 
I consider it a form, but those who do not permit the slightest variation 
in shape of spores must consider it a species. Calvatia primitiva would 
■be a suitable name, as it has only reached me from countries noted for 
the primitive forms, both in the vegetable and animal kingdoms. I con¬ 
ceive (though it is merely a supposition) that this may be the progenitor 
of the widely distributed globose-spOred plant Calvatia gigantea. I think 
the plant has never been formally “ described,” though it was mentioned 
•by Leveille more than sixty years ago. 
Another plant I think undescribed reaches me from Edward M. 
Erhhorn, Montain View, California. It is globose, has no sterile 
base, but is much smaller than the previous species. I have labeled it 
Calvatia umbrina, and if I do not find it in some of the collections of 
Europe, I will illustrate it in “ Mycological Notes ” under this name. 
Peridium very thin, smooth, dark brown, almost black. It reminds me 
somewhat of the peridium of Bovista Pila, but dehisces evidently as 
a Calvatia. Gleba without sterile base, dark umber color, without tint 
of purple. Capillitium branching and intertwined, smooth, deeply 
colored, 4-6 mic. thick, thicker than the diameter of the spores. Spores 
small, about 4 mic. in diameter, globose, smooth, apiculate. The exact 
generic place of this plant is not assured as yet. It is close to “ Calvatia 
hesperia,” from the same region in form, size internal characters 
.and absence of sterile base. It differs entirely, however, in the color 
of the gleba. 
J. Medley Wood sends me a young specimen of Podaxon carcinomalis. 
This was one of the first species of the genus known. It grows princi¬ 
pally on the ant-hills of South Africa and is undoubtedly one of the 
plants the mycelium of which is “ cultivated ” by ants. Thunberg, who 
first brought the plant to Europe 150 years ago states that at that time 
the powder was used by the natives as a dressing for scrofulous sores. 
The plant reached me under the name Podaxon pistillaris, but that 
species (of India) I think is different. 
Some beautiful specimens of Phellorina Delestrei are received from 
Dr. X. Gillot, Autumn, France. This genus of North Africa we have 
