minatum. Montagne._

[Illustration: Figure 479.--Secotium acuminatum. 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 glass 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.

_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._

[Illustration: 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, 4-5x3u,
yellow. Spores globose, warted, coffee-color, 9-13u. _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