Figure 461.—The sterile part of C. craniiformis.
Craniiformis is from Cranion, a skull; forma, a form.
The peridium is very large, obovoid or top-shaped, depressed above, the base thick and stout, with a cord-like root. The cortex is a smooth continuous layer, very thin and fragile, easily peeling off, pallid or grayish, sometimes with a reddish tinge, often becoming folded in areas; the inner peridium is thin, ochraceous to bright-brown, extremely fragile, the upper part, after maturity, breaking into fragments and falling away.
The subgleba occupies about one-half of the peridium, is cup-shaped above and for a long time persistent; the mass of spores and capillitium is greenish-yellow, then ochraceous or dirty olivaceous; the threads are very long, about as thick as the spores, branched. The spores are globose, even, 3–3.5µ in diameter, with minute pedicels. Morgan.
It is difficult to distinguish this from C. lilacina when fresh, but when ripe the color will tell the species. Figure 460 shows the plant as it appears on the ground, and figure 461 shows the subgleba or sterile base, which is frequently found on the ground after weathering the winter. This plant is very common on the hillsides under small oak shrubbery. I have gathered a basketful within a few feet. They grow very large, often five to six inches in diameter, seeming to delight in rather poor soil. When the spore-mass is white this is an excellent fungus, but exceedingly bitter after it has turned yellow. Found during October and November.
Calvatia elata. Massee.
The Stemmed Calvatia. Edible.