TAB. CCLXXI.
LYCOPERDON variolosum. Fl. Ang.
SPHÆRIA lycoperodides. With. ed. 3. 392.
Frequent on stumps and sticks in damp woods, though not readily obferved in the young or small state; but when nearly matured, it may most readily be distinguished by the crustaceous covering of a brick-red on the outside, and whiter within. This covering is somewhat brittle, when ripe cracking irregularly, and enclosing a blackish feed.
TAB. CCLXXII.
RETICULARIA Lycoperdon. Bull. 446. fig. 4. With. ed. 3. 386.
LYCOPERDON fuscum. Huds. 645.
Found occasionally on trees and paling after rain, chiefly in autumn. At first it has a mucilaginous appearance, somewhat frothy and whitish; afterwards the outward skin resembles parchment with a silvery gloss, but is very tender. At length, the least breath of air will lacerate it, and a fine brown powder is exposed to view, mixed with a few fibres. I doubt whether this be properly a Reticularia. If it be, so are L. epidendrum, and its variety L. pisiforme of Jacquin. The plants of this genus are mucilaginous in the beginning; they vary extremely withinside, as may be seen in our R. multicapsula. tab. 179, and R. alba tab. 280.
The representation of the dust in the lowermost figure is coloured with the powder of the plant itself.
