L. Wright´ii B. and C.—in honor of Charles Wright. Peridium globose, depressed-globose or lentiform, 6–24 lines in diameter, generally sessile, white or whitish, echinate with deciduous sometimes crowded stellate spines or pyramidal warts, when denuded smooth or minutely velvety; capillitium and spores dingy-olive, columella present. Spores smooth, 4µ in diameter. Edible.
Ground in pastures and grassy places. Very common. July to October.
This is another very variable species. The typical form is a small one, minutely echinate and having the denuded peridium smooth. The plant often occurs much larger and more coarsely echinate with stout angular spines or pyramidal warts, which fall off and generally leave the surface of the peridium velvety.
Var. typ´icum. Small, 6–9 lines broad, globose, minutely echinate, the warts quickly falling off and leaving the peridium smooth. (L. Wrightii B. and C.)
Var. sep´arans. Larger, 10–24 lines broad, subglobose or lentiform, echinate with coarse substellate spines or pyramidal warts, which at length fall off and leave the peridium smooth or velvety. (L. separans Pk.)
Var. atropunc´tum. Larger, 10–15 lines broad, subglobose, pure white, warts or coarse spines brown or blackish at the tips.
This species is generally gregarious, but sometimes it forms tufts of several individuals closely crowded together. It sometimes occurs in cultivated grounds and stubble fields. The under surface is occasionally plicate as in the long-stemmed puff-ball. In the var. separans the warts or spines are crowded at their thickened bases and slightly attached to each other, so that they come off at maturity in flakes or patches. When the denuded surface of the peridium is velvety, it is usually of a darker color than when smooth, being subcinnamon, reddish-brown or dark-brown. Peck, 32d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Ground in grassy places. July to frost. McIlvaine.
I have found var. separans in December, under snow.
Edible. Peck, Rep. 32.