L. echina´tum Pers.—prickly. (L. Peck´ii Morg.) (Plate [CLVI], fig. 2, p. 568.) Peridium ¾-1½ in. broad, subglobose, generally narrowed below into a short stem-like base, whitish brownish or pinkish-brown, echinate above with rather stout spines, which at length fall off and leave the surface smooth; toward the base spinulose or furfuraceous; capillitium and spores dingy-olive. Spores minutely rough, 4µ in diameter.
Ground and decaying wood in woods. Albany, Forestburg and Adirondack mountains. August to October.
The whole plant is generally obovate, pyriform or turbinate, and the spines are larger and more or less curved at and near the apex, diminishing in size toward the base where they are more persistent. In the immature condition it is difficult to distinguish it from L. pedicellatum; but when mature its smooth peridium and spores destitute of pedicels separate it. Peck, 32d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
L. echinatum appears to be common to all the states. August to frost. It is frequent but not abundant. Raw the taste is slight. Cooked it is tender and of good flavor.
L. pulcher´rimum B. and C. (L. Frost´ii Pk.) Peridium usually obovoid, sometimes subturbinate, with a short stout base; the mycelium forming a thick cord-like root. Cortex consisting of very long white spines, converging and often coherent at the apex; the spines at length fall away from the upper part of the peridium, leaving the inner peridium with a smooth purplish-brown shining surface, sometimes faintly reticulated. Subgleba occupying about a third part of the peridium; mass of spores and capillitium at first olivaceous, then brownish-purple; the threads much branched, the main stem thicker than the spores, the branches long, slender and tapering. Spores globose, minutely warted, 4.5–5.5µ in diameter.
Peridium 1–2½ in. in diameter and 1–2 in. in height.
The fresh specimens of this plant have a strong and not unpleasant fragrance.
Growing in low grounds, in fields and woods. September, October.
L. pulcherrimum is frequent, but not abundant. It ranks with second-class puff-balls. It is good when young and fresh.