Indiana, in abandoned brick-yard, H.I. Miller; West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Common on ground in open places. Solitary or in groups. Spring to autumn; after rains, McIlvaine.

Edible. Trelease, Badham.

The botanic difference between a Lycoperdon and a Bovista does not affect the Mycophagist. He can not distinguish the difference when cooked. B. plumbea is given in Cooke and in Massee as Lycoperdon plumbeum. Bovista plumbea is a first-class edible.

B. mi´nor Morg. (Plate [CLXXIX], p. 610.) Peridium subglobose, deeply sunk in the soil and connected with it by a filamentous mycelium, which issues from every part of the surface. Cortex thickish, rough and irregular from the adherent soil, fragile, falling away at maturity, except sometimes a small portion about the base; inner peridium thin, smooth, flaccid, reddish-brown, dehiscent by a regular apical mouth. Mass of spores and capillitium olivaceous, then reddish-brown; the threads curled and flexuous, with an expanse of 1.0–1.5 mm., two to four times branched, the main stem 10–15µ thick, the ultimate branches very long and tapering to a fine point. Spores globose or slightly oval, even, 3.5–4.5µ in diameter, with long hyaline pedicels.

Growing in damp shaded situations. Ohio, Morgan; Nebraska, Webber. Peridium ½-¾ of an inch in diameter. A species well marked by its peculiar habit. The curled and flexuous threads are interesting microscopic objects. Morgan.

GENUS XIII.—MYCENAS´TRUM Desv.

(Plate CLXXXII.)

Mycenastrum spinulosum Pk.
(After Morgan.)

Mycelium funicular, rooting from the base. Peridium subglobose, without a thickened base; cortex a smooth continuous layer, at first closely adnate to the inner peridium, after maturity gradually breaking up and falling away; inner peridium thick, tough, coriaceous, becoming hard, rigid and corky, the upper part finally breaking up into irregular lobes or fragments. Capillitium originating within the tissue of the gleba; the threads free, short, thick, with a few short branches, acutely pointed and with scattered prickles. Spores large, globose, sessile, brown.