The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 108

_Secotium. Kunz._

This is a very interesting genus. When I found my first specimen I was much in doubt whether it was an Agaric or a puffball, as it seemed to be a sort of connecting link between the two cla.s.ses. The genus is divided into smooth-spored and rough-spored species, both having a stalk continuing, as an axis, to the apex of the plant. The peridium is round or conical and it dehisces by breaking away at the base. Secotium is from a Greek word meaning chamber.

_Secotium ac.u.minatum. Montagne._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 479.--Secotium ac.u.minatum. Life size of small specimens.]

This is an exceedingly variable species, as found about Chillicothe, yet the variability extends only to the outward appearance of the plant; some are almost round, slightly depressed, some (and a large majority) are inclined to be irregularly cone-shaped.

The peridium is light-colored, of a soft texture, not brittle; it slowly expels its spores by breaking away at the base; the stalk is usually short, but distinct and prolonged to the apex of the peridium, forming an axis for the gleba. The surface of the peridium is smooth, dingy-white or ash-colored, with minute white spots, due to scales. It is of various shapes; acute-ovate, sometimes obtuse, nearly spherical, sometimes slightly depressed and irregular cone-shaped. The gleba is composed of semi-persistent cells, plainly seen with a gla.s.s or even with the naked eye. It has no capillitium. The spores are globose and smooth, often apiculate. This plant is quite abundant about Chillicothe, and I have found it from the first of May to the last of October.

This species is widely distributed in America, and occurs in Northern Africa and Eastern Europe.

_Polysacc.u.m. DeC._

Polysacc.u.m 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 ma.s.s or gleba divided into distinct sac-like cells.

Allied to Scleroderma and distinguished by the cavities of the gleba containing distinct peridioles. _Ma.s.see._

_Polysacc.u.m pisocarpium. Fr._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 480.--Polysacc.u.m pisocarpium.]

Pisocarpium is from two Greek words meaning pea and fruited.

Peridium irregularly globose, indistinctly nodulose, pa.s.sing downward into a stout stem-like base, peridioles irregularly angular, 4-53, yellow. Spores globose, warted, coffee-color, 9-13. _Ma.s.see._

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.

_Mitremyces. Nees._

Mitremyces is made up of two words: _mitre_, a cap; _myces_, a mushroom.

It is a small genus, there being but three species found in this country. The spore-ma.s.s or gleba, in its young state, is surrounded by four layers. The outer layer is gelatinous and behaves itself somewhat differently in each species. This outer layer is known as the volva or volva-like peridium, which soon disappears. The next layer is called the exoperidium and is composed of two layers, the inner one quite thin and cartilaginous--in M. cinnabarinus it is a bright red; this is attached to a rather thick, gelatinous, outer layer which soon falls away, exposing the endoperidium, which is the layer seen in older specimens. Within the endoperidium are the spores, which are pale ochraceous or sulphur color, globose or elliptical in shape. They are contained in a separate membrane or sac; when they mature the sac contracts and forces the spores out into the air. The mycelium of this plant is especially peculiar, being composed of a bundle of root-like strands, translucent and jelly-like when young and fresh, but becoming tough and hard. This genus is called by some authors Calostoma, meaning a beautiful mouth, a very appropriate name, as the mouths of all American species are red and quite beautiful.

_Mitremyces cinnabarinus. Desv._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 481.--Mitremyces cinnabarinus. Natural size.]

The rooting strands are long, compact, dark when dry. Exporidium bright red, smooth internally; the outer layer thick, gelatinous when fresh, finally breaking into areas and curling inward. The separation is caused by the fact that the cells of the thick gelatinous portion expand by the absorption of water, while those of the inner layer do not, hence the rupture occurs. The endoperidium and rayed mouth are bright red when fresh, partially fading in old specimens.

The spores are elliptical-oblong, punctate-sculptured, varying much as to size in specimens from different localities; 6-810-14 in West Virginia specimens. Ma.s.sachusetts specimens, 6-812-20. _Lloyd._

I have seen these specimens growing in the mountains in West Virginia.

They quickly arrest the attention because of their bright red caps. They seem not, as yet, to have crossed the Alleghenies--at least I have not found it in Ohio. It has a number of synonyms: Scleroderma calostoma, Calostoma cinnabarinum, Lycoperdon heterogeneum, L. calostoma.

The plants in Figure 481 were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Mr. Geo. E.

Morris of Waltham, Ma.s.s., sent me some specimens early in August, 1907.

_Geaster. Mich._

Geaster, an earth-star; so called because at maturity the outer coat breaks its connection with the mycelium in the ground and bursts open like the petals of a flower; then, becoming reflexed, those petals lift the inner ball from the ground and it remains in the center of the expanded, star-like coat. The coat of the inner ball is thin and papery, and opens by an apical mouth. The threads, or capillitium, which bear the spores proceed from the walls of the peridium and form the central columella. The threads are simple, long, slender, thickest in the middle and tapering towards the ends, fixed at one end and free at the other.

The Geaster is a picturesque little plant which will arrest the attention of the most careless observer. It is abundant and is frequently found in the late summer and fall in woods and pastures.

_Geaster minimus. Schw._

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 482.--Geaster minimus. Natural size.]

The outer coat or exoperidium recurved, segments acute at the apex, eight to twelve segments divided to about the middle. Mycelial layer usually attached, generally s.h.a.ggy with fragments of leaves or gra.s.s, sometimes partly or entirely separating. Fleshy layer closely attached, very light in color, usually smooth on the limb of the exoperidium but cracked on the segments. Pedicel short but distinct. The inner peridium ovoid, one-fourth to one-half inch in diameter; white to pale-brown, sometimes almost black. Mouth lifted on a slight cone, lip bordered with a hair-like fringe; columella slender, as are also the threads. Spores brown, globe-shaped, and minutely warted. Found in the summer and early fall.

Nature seems to give it the power to lift up the spore-bearing body, the better to eject its spores to the wind. It is very frequently found in pastures all over the state. I have found it in many localities about Chillicothe. It is called "minimus" because it is the smallest Earth-star.

_Geaster hygrometricus. Pers._

WATER-MEASURING EARTH-STAR.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 483.--Geaster hygrometricus. Natural size.]

The unexpanded plant is nearly spherical. The mycelial layer is thin, tearing away as the plant expands, the bark or skin falling with the mycelium. The outer coat is deeply parted, the segments, acute at the apex, four to twenty; strongly hygrometric, becoming reflexed when the plant is moist, strongly incurved when the plant is dry. The inner coating is nearly spherical, thin, sessile, opening by simply a torn aperture. There is no columella. The threads are transparent, much branched, and interwoven. The spores are large, globose, and rough.

The plant ripens in the fall and the thick outer peridium divides into segments, the number varying from four to twenty. When the weather is wet the lining of the points of the segments become gelatinous and recurve, and the points rest upon the ground, holding the inner ball from the ground. In dry weather the soft gelatinous lining becomes hard and the segments curve in and clasp the inner ball. Hence its name, "hygrometricus," a measurer of moisture. The plant is quite general.

_Geaster Archeri. Berk._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 484.--Geaster Archeri.]

Young plant acute. Exoperidium cut beyond the middle into seven to nine acute segments. In herbarium specimens usually saccate but sometimes revolute. Mycelial layer closely adherent, compared to previous species relatively smooth. As in the previous species the mycelium covers the young plant but is not so strongly developed, so that the adhering dirt is not so evident on the mature plant. Fleshy layer when dry, thin and closely adherent. Endoperidium globose, sessile. Mouth sulcate, indefinite. Columella globose-clavate. Capillitium thicker than the spores. Spores small, 4 mc. almost smooth. _Lloyd._

I first found the plant in the young state. The acute point, which will be seen in the photograph, puzzled me. I marked the place where it grew and in a few days found the developed Geaster. The plant is reddish-brown and it differs from other species "with sulcate mouths, in its closely sessile endoperidium." I have found the plant several times in Hayne's Hollow, near Chillicothe. I found it in the tracks of decayed logs.

The plant has been called Geaster Morganii in this country but had previously been named from Australia.

_Geaster asper. Michelius._