PUFF-BALLS 
65 
LYCOPERDON 
(Gr. lukos, a wolf; perdon , dung—from an old belief that 
puff-balls grew from the dung of the wolf) 
I 
L. echinatum ( echinus , a hedgehog—from the large spines 
investing the peridium), “ Hedgehog Puff-ball.” Plate 
XX. 4. 
Per. subglobose, 1-2 in. high and broad, covered with long 
purple-brown spines, each of which is surrounded by a circle 
of brown warts. At maturity the spines fall away and the 
surface appears tessellated. Opening irregular. Sterile base 
well developed, yellowish. Mycelial strands long and 
white. Spore mass purple umber. Frequent amongst 
leaves in woods (chiefly beech) in aut., usually solitary. 
L. Hoylei (after Mr. Hoyle) differs chiefly in the bright 
yellow basal stratum, and L. atvopuvpuveum in the purplish- 
brown basal stratum. 
L. gemmatum ( gemma , a bud — from the pointed warts 
investing the peridium). Plate XX. 3. 
Per. subglobose, 3-4 in. high, 1-2. in. diam., covered with 
flattened soldered warts; spines pointed, brown. Sterile 
base cellular, passing down into a thick stem. Spore mass 
olivaceous umber. Common in open places in woods in aut . 
L. perlatum ( perlatus , very wide—from the great width of 
the peridium in comparison with the stem) differs in having 
the exoperidium covered with long fragile caducous spines, 
surrounded at their bases by circles of short warts. It is 
frequently umbonate, and springs in pairs from the same 
base. Occurring in troops in shady woods, particularly 
under conifers. 
L. pyriforme (pyrus , a pear; forma , shape—from the pear- 
shaped peridium) forms dense tufts (usually) on rotten 
stumps and branches, springing from white cord-like 
mycelium. The only puff-ball that grows exclusively on 
wood. The var. excipuliforme (from a supposed resemblance 
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