Polysaccum. DeC.
Polysaccum is from polus, many, and saccus, a sack. Peridium irregularly globose, thick, attenuated downward into a stem-like base, opening by disintegration of its upper portion; internal mass or gleba divided into distinct sac-like cells.
Allied to Scleroderma and distinguished by the cavities of the gleba containing distinct peridioles. Massee.
Polysaccum pisocarpium. Fr.
Figure 480.—Polysaccum pisocarpium.
Pisocarpium is from two Greek words meaning pea and fruited.
Peridium irregularly globose, indistinctly nodulose, passing downward into a stout stem-like base, peridioles irregularly angular, 4–5×3µ, yellow. Spores globose, warted, coffee-color, 9–13µ. Massee.
I have found this plant only a few times about Chillicothe. Mr. Lloyd identified it for me. It has very much the shape of a pear. The skin is quite hard, smooth, olivaceous-black with yellow mottling patches not unlike the skin of a rattlesnake. The peridioles, which are small ovate sacs bearing the spores within, are very distinct. The interior of the plant when mature is dark, and it breaks and disintegrates from the upper part very like C. cyathiformis. This is a very interesting plant whose ovate sac-like cells will easily distinguish it. Found from August to October, it delights in sandy soil, in pine or mixed woods.