Figure 443.Figure 443.—Cyathus stercoreus.
Figure 443.—Cyathus stercoreus.
Stercoreus is fromstercus, dung. This species, as the name suggests, is found on manure or manured grounds. Mr. Lloyd gives the following description: "The cups are even inside, and with shaggy hairs outside. When old they become smoother, and are sometimes mistaken for Cyathus vernicosus. However when once learned, the plants can be readily distinguished by the cups. Cyathus stercoreus varies considerably, however, as to shape and size of cups, according to habitat. If growing on a cake of manure, they are shorter and more cylindrical; if in loose manured ground, especially in grass, they are more slender and inclined to a stalk at the base." The peridioles or eggs are blacker than other species. They are found in late summer and fall.
The peridium consists of a uniform, spongy, fibrous felt, closed by a flat scale-like covering of the same color.
The sporangia are plane, attached by a cord, springing from a small nipple-like tubercle.
This genus is distinguished from Cyathus, its nearest ally, by the peridial wall, consisting of two layers only.
Figure 444.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 444.—Crucibulum vulgare.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 444.—Crucibulum vulgare.
The peridium is tan-colored, thick externally nearly even, internally quite even, smooth, shining; mouths of young plants are covered with a thin yellowish membrane called the epiphragm. When old the cups bleach out and lose their yellow color. The peridioles or eggs are white, that is they are covered with a white membrane. Their yellowish color and white eggs will readily distinguish this species.
They are found on decayed weeds, sticks, and pieces of wood. The specimens in the halftone grew on an old mat and were photographed by Mr. C. G. Lloyd.
The peridium is uniform, consisting of a single membrane; globose, at first closed, finally ruptured or opening with a circular mouth.
The sporangia are quite small and numerous, not attached by a funiculus to the peridium, enveloped in mucus.
Pea-Shaped Nidularia.
Figure 445.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 445.—Nidularia pisiformis.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 445.—Nidularia pisiformis.
Pisiformis is from two Latin words meaningpeaandform.
The plant is gregarious, nearly round, sessile, rootless, hairy, brown or brownish, splitting irregularly.
The sporangia are subrotund or discoidal in form, dark brown, smooth, shining.
The spores are colorless, round or elliptical or pear-shaped, produced on sterigmata, 7–8×8–9µ. Sometimes found on the ground and on leaves, but their favorite home is an old log. Found from July to September.
Gastromycetes is from two Greek words:gaster, stomach;mycetes, fungus. We have already seen that, in the group, Hymenomycetes, the spore-bearing surface is exposed as in the common mushroom or in the pore-bearing varieties, but in the Gastromycetes the hymenium is inclosed in the rind or peridium. The word peridium comes fromperidio(I wrap around); because the peridium entirely envelops the spore-bearing portion, which, in due time, sheds the inclosed spores that have been formed inside the basidia and spicules, as will be seen in Figure 2. The cavity within the peridium consists of two parts: the threaded part, called the capillitium, which can be seen in any dried puffball, and a cellular part, called the gleba, which is the spore-bearing tissue, composed of minute chambers lined with the hymenium. The peridium breaks in various ways to permit the spores to escape. When children pinch a puffball to "see the smoke," as they say, issue from it, little do they know that they are doing just what the puffball would have them do, in order that its seeds may be scattered to the winds.
In case of the Phalloides, the hymenium deliquesces, instead of drying up.
Berkeley, in his "Outlines," gives the following characterization of this family: "Hymenium more or less permanently concealed, consisting in most cases of closely packed cells, of which the fertile ones bear naked spores in distinct spicules, exposed only by the rupture or decay of the investing coat or peridium."
The following families will be treated here:
Volva universal, the intermediate stratum gelatinous. Hymenium deliquescent.Berkeley's Outlines.
The following genera will be represented:
Laced Stinkhorn.
Figure 446.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LV.Figure 446.—Phallus duplicatus.Natural size, showing veil.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LV.Figure 446.—Phallus duplicatus.Natural size, showing veil.
Volva egg-shaped, thick, whitish, frequently having a pinkish tinge.
The stem is cylindrical, cellulose, tapering upward. The veil is reticulate, frequently surrounding the whole of the stem from the pileus to the volva, often torn. The pileus is pitted, deliquescent, six to eight inches high, apex acute. Spores elliptic-oblong.
I am sure I never saw finer lace-work than I have seen on this plant. A few years ago one of these plants insisted upon growing near my house, where a fence post had formerly been, with the effect of almost driving the family from home. One can hardly imagine so beautiful a plant giving off such an odor. It is not a common plant in our state.
Figure 447.Figure 447.—Phallus Ravenelii. Natural size, showing volva at base, receptacle and cap.
Figure 447.—Phallus Ravenelii. Natural size, showing volva at base, receptacle and cap.
This plant is extremely abundant about Chillicothe. I have seen hundreds of fully developed plants on a few square yards of old sawdust; and one might easily think that all the badsmells in the world had been turned loose at that place. The eggs in the sawdust can be gathered by the bushel. In Figure 449 is represented a cluster, of these eggs. The section of an egg in the center of the cluster shows the outline of the volva, the pileus, and the embryo stem. Inside of the volva, in the middle, is the short undeveloped stem; covering the upper part and sides of the stem is the pileus; the fruit-bearing part, which is divided into small chambers, lies on the outside of the pileus. The spores are borne on club-shaped basidia as shown in Figure 448, within the chamber of the fruit-bearing part, and when the spores mature, the stem begins to elongate and force the gleba and pileus through the volva, leaving it at the base of the stem, as will be seen in Figure 448. The large egg on the left in the background of Figure 449 is nearly ready to break the volva. I brought in a large egg one evening and placed it on the mantle. Later in the evening, the room being warm, while we were reading my wife noticed this egg beginning to move and it developed in a few minutes to the shape you see in Figure 447. The development was so rapid that the motion was very perceptible. Thepileus is conical in shape, and after the disappearance of the gleba the surface of the pileus is merely granular. The plants are four to six inches high. The stem is hollow and tapers from the middle to each end. This plant is also known as Dictyophora Ravenelii, Burt.
Figure 448.Figure 448.—Phallus Ravenelii. Two-thirds natural size.
Figure 448.—Phallus Ravenelii. Two-thirds natural size.
Figure 449.Figure 449.—Phallus Ravenelii. Two-thirds natural size, showing the egg stage.
Figure 449.—Phallus Ravenelii. Two-thirds natural size, showing the egg stage.
Figure 450.Figure 450.—Lysurus borealis.
Figure 450.—Lysurus borealis.
The receptacle is borne on a stalk, hollow, attenuated toward the base, divided above into arms, which do not join at their apices, and which bear the spore mass in their inner surfaces and sides, inclosing the spore mass when young, but later diverging.
The stem of the phalloid is white, hollow, attenuated downward; the arms are narrow, lance-shaped, with pale flesh-colored backs, traversed their entire length by a shallow furrow.
The egg in the center is about ready to break the volva and develop to a full grown plant. The plants in Figure 450 were found near Akron, Ohio, and photographed by G. D. Smith.
The gleba is borne directly on the upper portion of the stem, which is hollow and composed of a single layer of tissue; and the plant has no separate pileus, by which characteristic the genus differs from Phallus.
Figure 451.Figure 451.—Mutinus caninus.
Figure 451.—Mutinus caninus.
The gleba-bearing portion is short, red or flesh-colored, subacute, wrinkled, the cap or gleba forming the spore-bearing mass which is usually conical, sometimes oblong or ovoid, covering one-fourth to one-sixth the total length of the stem.
The stem is elongated, spindle-shaped, hollow, cylindrical, cellular, white, sometimes rosy. The spores are elliptical, involved in a green mucus, 6×4µ. The plant comes from an egg, which is about the size of a quail's egg. You can find them in the ground if you will mark the place where you have seen them growing. They are found in gardens and in old woods and thickets. I have found this species in several localities about Chillicothe, but always in damp thickets. Mr. Lloyd thought this more nearly resembled the European species than any he had seen in this country. Found in July, August, and September.
Figure 452.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LVI. Figure 452.—Mutinus elegans.Natural size, showing an egg and a section of an egg.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LVI. Figure 452.—Mutinus elegans.Natural size, showing an egg and a section of an egg.
Figure 453.Figure 453.—Mutinus elegans. One-third natural size, showing volva, white receptacle and red cap.
Figure 453.—Mutinus elegans. One-third natural size, showing volva, white receptacle and red cap.
The pileus is acuminate, perforated at apex. The stem is cylindrical, tapering gradually to the apex, whitish or pinkish below, pileus bright red.
The volva is oblong-ovoid, pinkish, segments two or three. The spores are elliptical-oblong.Morgan.
The odor of this plant is not as strong as in some of the Phalloids. The eggs of Phallus and Mutinus are said to be very good when fried properly, but my recollection of the odor of the plant has been too vivid for me to try them. It is usually found in mixed woods, but sometimes in richly cultivated fields. I have found them frequently about Chillicothe six to seven inches high. In Figure 452 on the right is shown an egg and above it is a section of an egg containing the embryonic plant. This plant is called by Prof. Morgan Mutinus bovinus. After seeing this picture the collector will not fail to recognize it. It is one of the curious growths in nature. Found in July and August.
This family includes all fungi which have their spores in closed chambers until maturity. The chambers are called the gleba and this is surrounded by the peridium or rind, which in different puffballs exhibits various characteristic ways of opening to let the spores escape. The peridium is composed of two distinct layers, one called the cortex, the other the peridium proper. The plant is generally sessile, sometimes more or less stemmed, at maturity filled with a dusty mass of spores and thread.
It affords many of our most delicious fungus food products. The following genera are considered here:
This genus represents the largest sized puffballs. They have a thick cord-like mycelium rooting from the base. The peridium is very large, breaking away in fragments when ripe and exposing the gleba. The cortex is thin, adherent, often soft and smooth like kid leather, sometimes covered with minute squamules; the inner peridium is thin and fragile, at maturity cracking into areas. The capillitium is a net-work of fine threads through the tissues of spore-bearing portion; tissue, snow white at first, turning greenish-yellow, then brown; the mass of spores and the dense net-work of threads (capillitium) attached to the peridium and to the subgleba or sterile base which is cellulose; limited and concave above. Spores small, round, usually sessile.
The Giant Puffball. Edible.
Figure 454.Plate LVII. Figure 454.—Calvatia gigantea.
Plate LVII. Figure 454.—Calvatia gigantea.
This species grows to an immense size (often twenty inches in diameter); round or obovoid, with a thick mycelial cord rooting it to the ground, sessile, cortex white and glossy, sometimes slightly roughened by minute floccose warts, becomingyellowish or brown. The inner peridium is thin and fragile, after maturity breaking up into fragments, apparently without any subgleba; capillitium and spores yellowish-green to dingy-olive. The spores are round, sometimes minutely warted.
Not common about Chillicothe, but in the northwestern part of the state they are very plentiful in their season, and very large. Standing in Mr. Joseph's wood-pasture, east of Bowling Green, I have counted fifteen giant puffballs whose diameters would average ten inches, and whose cortex was as white and glossy as a new kid glove. A friend of mine, living in Bowling Green, and driving home from Deshler, saw in a wood-pasture twenty-five of these giant puffballs. Being impressed with the sight and having some grain sacks in his wagon he filled them and brought them home. He at once telephoned for me to come to his house, as the mountain was too big to take to Mohammed. He was surprised to learn that he had found that proverbial calf which is all sweet-breads. That evening we supplied twenty-five families with slices of these puffballs.
They can be kept for two or three days on ice. The photograph, taken by Prof. Shaffner of Ohio State University, will show how they look growing in the grass. They seem to delight to nestle in the tall bluegrass. This species has been classed heretofore as Lycoperdon giganteum. Found from August to October.
Figure 455.Figure 455.—Calvatia gigantia. One-fifth natural size, showing how they grow in the grass.
Figure 455.—Calvatia gigantia. One-fifth natural size, showing how they grow in the grass.
Lilac Puffball. Edible.
Figure 456.Plate LVIII. Figure 456.—Calvatia lilacina.Natural size in a growing state.
Plate LVIII. Figure 456.—Calvatia lilacina.Natural size in a growing state.
The peridium is three to six inches in diameter; globose or depressed globose; smooth or minutely floccose or scaly; whitish, cinereous-brown or pinkish-brown, often cracking into areas in the upper part; commonly with a short, thick, stemless base; capillitium and spores purple-brown, these and the upper part of the peridium falling away and disappearing when old, leaving a cup-shaped base with a ragged margin. Spores globose, rough, purple-brown, 5–6.5 broad.Peck, 48th Rep. N. Y. State Bot.
It is very common all over the state. I have seen pastures in Shelby and Defiance counties dotted all over with this species. When the inside is white, they are very good and meaty. No puffball is poisonous, so far as is known, but if the inside has turned yellowish at all it is apt to be quite bitter. It will often be seen in pastures and open woods in the form of a cup, the upper portion having broken away and the wind having scooped out the purple spore-mass, leaving only the cup-shaped base. The specimens in Figure 457 are just beginning to crack open and to show purplish stains. They represent less than one-fourth of the natural size. They look very much like the smaller sized C. gigantea, but the purple spores and the subgleba at once distinguish the species. This species, found from July to October, is sometimes classed as Lycoperdon cyathiforme. The photograph was taken by Prof. Longyear.
Figure 457.Figure 457.—Calvatia lilacina.
Figure 457.—Calvatia lilacina.
The Carved Puffball. Edible.
Figure 458.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LIX. Figure 458.—Calvatia caelata.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LIX. Figure 458.—Calvatia caelata.
Figure 459.Figure 459.—Calvatia cælata.
Figure 459.—Calvatia cælata.
Cælata, carved. Peridium large, obovoid or top-shaped, depressed above, with a stout thick base and a cord-like root. Cortex a thickish floccose layer, with coarse warts or spines above, whitish then ochraceous or finally brown, at length breaking up into areola which are more or less persistent; inner peridium thick but fragile, thinner about the apex, where it finally ruptures, forming a large, irregular, torn opening. Subgleba occupying nearly half the peridium, cup-shaped above and for a long time persistent; the mass of spores and capillitium compact, farinaceous greenish-yellow or olivaceous, becoming pale to dark-brown; the threads are very much branched, the primary branches two or three times as thick as the spores, very brittle, soon breaking up into fragments. Spores globose, even, 4–4.5 in diameter, sessile or sometimes with a short or minute pedicel. Peridium is three to five inches in diameter.Morgan.
This species is much like the preceding but can be easily distinguished by the larger size and the yellowish-olive color of the mature spore-mass. The sterile base is often the larger part of the fungus and, as will be seen in Figure 459, it is anchoredby a heavy root-like growth. It is found growing on the ground in fields and thin woods. When white through and through, sliced, rolled in egg and cracker crumbs, and nicely fried, you are glad you know a puffball. Found from August to October.
The Brain-Shaped Calvatia. Edible.
Figure 460.Plate LX. Figure 460.—Calvatia craniiformis.
Plate LX. Figure 460.—Calvatia craniiformis.
Figure 461.Figure 461.—The sterile part of C. craniiformis.
Figure 461.—The sterile part of C. craniiformis.
Craniiformis is fromCranion, 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.
The Stemmed Calvatia. Edible.
Figure 462.Figure 462.—Calvatia elata.
Figure 462.—Calvatia elata.
Elata means tall; so called from its long stem.
The peridium is round, often slightly depressed above, plicate below, where it is abruptly contracted into a long stem-like base. The base is slender, round, and frequently pitted; mycelium rather plentiful, fibrous and thread-like. When in good condition it is a rich cream color. The cortex consists of a coat of minute persistent granules or spinules. The inner peridium is white or cream-colored, becoming brown or olivaceous, quite thin and fragile, the upper part at maturity breaking up and falling away. The subgleba occupies the stem. The mass of spores and capillitium is usually brown or greenish-brown. The threads are very long, branched, branches slender. Spores round, even, sometimes slightly warted, 4–5µ, with a slight pedicel.
The plant grows on low mossy grounds among bushes, especially where it is inclined to be swampy. The plant in Figure 462 was found in a sphagnum swamp near Akron and was photographed by Prof. G. D. Smith. I am inclined to think it the same as Calvatia saccata, Fr.
Mycelium fibrous, rooting from the base. Peridium small, globose, obovoid or turbinate, with a more or less thickened base; cortex a subpersistent coat of soft spines, scales, warts or granules; inner peridium thin, membranaceous, becoming papyraceous, dehiscent by a regular apical mouth.Morgan.
This genus includes puffballs with apical openings and is divided into two series, a purple-spored and an olive-spored series. The microscope shows that the gleba is composed of a great number of spores mixed with simple or branched threads. There are two sets of threads; one set arises from the peridial wall and the other from the subgleba or columella.
PURPLE-SPORED SERIES.
The Most Beautiful Puffball. Edible.
Figure 463.Specimen from A. P. Morgan.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 463.—Lycoperdon pulcherrimum.
Specimen from A. P. Morgan.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 463.—Lycoperdon pulcherrimum.
Figure 464.Figure 464.—Lycoperdon pulcherrimum.
Figure 464.—Lycoperdon pulcherrimum.
Pulcherrimum, most beautiful. The peridium is obovoid, with a short base, the mycelium forming a cord like a root. The cortex is covered with long white spines, converging at the apex, as will be seen in Figure 463. The spines soon fall from the upper part of the peridium, leaving the inner peridium with a smooth purplish-brown surface, often slightly scarred by the base of the spine. The subgleba occupies at least a third of the peridium. The spores and the capillitium are at first olivaceous, then brownish-purple, the spores rough and minutely warted. The plant is one to two inches in diameter. It is found in low, rich ground, in fields and wood margins. Only young and fresh plants are good.
The lower plant in Figure 463 shows where the spines have begun to fall, also the strong mycelial cord referred to in the description. I am indebted to Mr. Lloyd for the photograph. Found in September and October.
The Smooth Puffball. Edible.
Umbrinum, dingy umber. Peridium obovate, nearly sub-turbinate, with a soft, delicate, velvety bark; yellowish; inner peridium smooth and glossy, opening by a small aperture. The spores and capillitium, olivaceous, then purplish-brown. The capillitium with a central columella. A very attractive little plant, not frequently found. This plant is also called L. glabellum. In woods, September and October.
OLIVE-SPORED SERIES.
The Gemmed Puffball. Edible.
Figure 465.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LXI. Figure 465.—Lycoperdon gemmatum.Natural size. Entirely white when young. From the young to the matured dehiscing plant.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LXI. Figure 465.—Lycoperdon gemmatum.Natural size. Entirely white when young. From the young to the matured dehiscing plant.
The peridium is turbinate, depressed above; the base short and obconic, or more elongated and tapering, or subcylindric, arising from a fibrous mycelium. The cortex consists of long, thick, erect spines or warts of irregular shape, with intervening smaller ones, whitish or gray in color, sometimes with a tinge of red or brown; the larger spines first fall away, leaving pale spots on the surface, and giving it a reticulate appearance. The subgleba is variable in amount, usually more than half the peridium; mass of spores and capillitium greenish-yellow, then pale-brown; threads simple or scarcely branched, about as thick as the spores. Spores globose, even, or very minutely warted.Morgan.
The species is readily recognized by the large erect spines which, because of their peculiar form and color, have given the notion of gems, whence the name of the species. These and the reticulations can be seen in Figure 465 by the aid of a glass. They are frequently found about Chillicothe.
The Pinkish Puffball. Edible.
Figure 466.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 466.—Lycoperdon subincarnatum.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 466.—Lycoperdon subincarnatum.
Subincarnatum means pale flesh-color. The peridium is globe-shaped, sessile, without a stem-like base. Not large, rarely over one inch in diameter. The subgleba is present but small. The outer peridium is pinkish-brown, with minute short, stout spinules, which fall away at maturity, leaving the inner ash-colored peridium neatly pitted by the falling off of the spinules of the outer coat, the pits not being surrounded by dotted lines. The capillitium and spores are first greenish-yellow, then brownish-olive. The threads are long, simple, and transparent. The columella is present and the spores are round and minutely warted.
They are often found in abundance on decayed logs, old stumps, and on the ground about stumps where the ground is especially full of decayed wood. They are found from August to October.
Figure 467.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 467.—Lycoperdon cruciatum.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 467.—Lycoperdon cruciatum.
Peridium broadly ovate, often much depressed, plicate underneath, with a cord-like root; cortex a dense white coat of convergent spines, which at maturity peel off in flakes, as can be seen in the photograph, revealing a thin furfuraceous layer of minute yellowish scales covering the inner peridium. The subgleba broad, occupying about one-third of the cavity. The spores and capillitium are dark-brown. This species is very hard to distinguish from Wrightii. It was once calledseparansbecause of the fact that the outer coat separates, or peels off, so readily from the inner peridium. Found in open woods, or along paths in open woods or pastures.
From July to October.
Edible.
Figure 468.Figure 468.—Lycoperdon Wrightii. Natural size.
Figure 468.—Lycoperdon Wrightii. Natural size.
The specific name is in honor of Charles Wright. The peridium is globe-like, sessile, white, minutely spinulose, often converging at the apex; when denuded, smooth or minutely velvety.
The spores and capillitium greenish-yellow, then brown-olive; the columella present, but very small. Spores small, smooth, 3–4µ.
The plants are very small, scarcely more than two cm. in diameter. They are generally cæspitose in short grass, along paths, and in sandy places.
I have frequently seen the ground white with them on Cemetery Hill where the specimens in Figure 468 were found. They were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Found from July to the last of October.
The Pear-Shaped Puffball. Edible.
Figure 469.Plate LXII. Figure 469.—Lycoperdon pyriforme.Natural size when young as seen growing on decayed wood. The sections show they are in the edible state.
Plate LXII. Figure 469.—Lycoperdon pyriforme.Natural size when young as seen growing on decayed wood. The sections show they are in the edible state.
Pyriforme means pear-shaped. The peridium is ovate or pear-shaped, with a profusion of mycelial threads, as will be seen in Figure 470.
The cortex is covered with a thin coat of minute brownish scales or granules, which are quite persistent. These can be seen in the photograph by the aid of a glass. They are sessile or have a short stem-like base; the subgleba is small and compact; the capillitium and spores are first white, then greenish-yellow, then dingy olivaceous; the inner coat is smooth, papery, whitish-gray or brownish, opening by an apical mouth; the spores are round, even, greenish-yellow to brownish-olive.
They grow in dense clusters, as will be seen in Figure 470. An entire log and stump, about four feet high, and the roots around it, were covered, as shown in Plate LXII. I gathered about three pecks, at this one place, to divide with my friends. It is one of the most common puffballs, and you may usually be sure of getting some, if you go into the woods where there are decayed logs and stumps. A friend of mine, who goes hunting with me occasionally, eats them as one would eat cherries.
Found from July to November.
Figure 470.Figure 470.—Lycoperdon pyriforme. Natural size.
Figure 470.—Lycoperdon pyriforme. Natural size.
The Small Lycoperdon. Edible.
Pusillum means small.
Peridium is one-fourth to one inch broad, globose, scattered or cespitose, sessile, radicating, with but little cellular tissue at the base, white, or whitish, brownish when old, rimose-squamulose or slightly roughened with minute floccose or furfuraceous persistent warts; capillitium and spores greenish-yellow, then dingy olivaceous. Spores smooth 4µ in diameter.Peck.
These are found from June to cool weather in the fall, in pastures where the grass is eaten short. When mature they dehisce by a small opening, and when broken open will disclose the olive or greenish-yellow capillitium. The spores are of the same color, smooth and round.
The Pointed Lycoperdon. Edible.
Acuminatum means pointed.
The peridium is small, round, then egg-shaped; with a plentiful mass of mycelium in the moss in which the plants seem to delight. The plant is white and the outer rind is soft and delicate. There is no subgleba; the spores andcapillitium are pale-greenish-yellow, then a dirty gray. The threads are simple, transparent, much thicker than the spores. The spores are round, smooth, 3µ in diameter.
I have found the plants frequently about Chillicothe on damp, moss-covered logs and sometimes at the base of beech trees, when covered with moss. They are very small, not exceeding one-half inch in diameter. The small ovoid form, with the white, soft, delicate cortex, will serve to distinguish the species. Found from September to October.
The genus Bovista differs from Lycoperdon in several ways. When the Bovista ripens it breaks from its moorings and is blown about by the wind. It opens by an apical mouth, as does the genus Lycoperdon, but the species of Bovista have no sterile base. They are puffballs of small size. The outer coat is thin and fragile and at maturity peels off, leaving an inner coat firm, papery, and elastic, just such a coat as is suitable for the dispersion of its spores. Leaving its moorings at maturity, it is blown about the fields and woods, and with every tumble it makes it scatters some of its spores. It may take years to accomplish this perfectly. The species of the Lycoperdon do not leave their moorings naturally; their spores are dispersed through an apical mouth by a collapse of the walls of the peridium, after the fashion of a bellows, by which spores are driven out to the pleasure of the wind. In Bovista the threads are free or separate from the peridium, but in Lycoperdon they arise from the peridium and also from the columella.
The Ball-Like Bovista.
Figure 471.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LXIII. Figure 471.—Bovista pila.Natural size of matured specimens.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LXIII. Figure 471.—Bovista pila.Natural size of matured specimens.
Pila means a round ball. The peridium is globe-like, sessile, with a stout mycelium, a cortex thin, white at first, then brown, forming a smooth continuous coat, breaking up at maturity and rapidly disappearing.
The inner peridium is tough, parchment-like, elastic, smooth, persistent, purplish-brown, fading to gray. The dispersion of spores takes place through an apical mouth. The capillitium is firm, compact, persistent, at first clay-colored, then purple-brown; threads small-branched, the ends being rigid, straight, pointed. There is something so noticeable about this little tumbler that you will know it when you see it, and if you often ramble over the fields you will soon meet it. However, I have as yet seen only the matured specimens.
Lead-Colored Bovista. Edible.
Figure 472.Figure 472.—Bovista plumbea. Natural size. White when young.
Figure 472.—Bovista plumbea. Natural size. White when young.
The plant is small, never growing to more than an inch and a fourth in diameter. The peridium is depressed globose, with a fibrous mycelium. The outer peridium is rather thick and when the plant is nearing maturity it breaks up readily unless handled very carefully; at maturity it scales off, except a small portion about the base. The outer peridium is white and comparatively smooth, the inner is thin, tough, smooth, lead-colored, dehiscent at the apex by a round or oblong mouth. Mass of spores and capillitium not solid or hard; yellowish-brown, or olivaceous, then purplish-brown; the threads three to five times branched, the ends of the branches slender and tapering to a point. The spores are oval and smooth, with long transparent pedicels.
This species grows on the ground in old pastures, being quite plentiful after warm rains, from the first of May till fall. It is one of the best of the puffballs, but should be eaten before the inner peridium begins to assume the tough form.
Bovistella, a diminutive of Bovista, though the plants are usually larger than the Bovistas.
The mycelium is cord-like; peridium nearly round, cortex a dense floccose coat; inner peridium thin, strong, elastic, opening by an apical mouth; subgleba present, cup-shaped; threads free and separate, branched; spores white. The genus Bovistella has the internal character of Bovista, and the habits of Lycoperdon.