Plants small, globose, at first submerged, becoming superficial and expanded when to 4 cm. across. Exoperidium split to about the middle into 7-12 acute, equal rays which are expanded when wet, involute when dry, folding over or under the endoperidium; fleshy layer umber, adnate, continuous or rimose; exterior covered with debris held by the closely adnate mycelial layer, becoming partly smooth; base umbilicate. Endoperidium shortly pedicelled, depressed globose or subglobose, to 15 mm. diameter, dingy white, tan or bay brown, finely and closely asperate. Peristome conical, acute, usually seated on a depressed zone, frequently darker in colour. Spores globose, 6-8 um diameter, epispore chestnut brown, 1um thick, coarsely and moderately verrucose, appearing areolate. The exoperidium varies in different individuals from a strongly hygroscopic to a flaccid, almost revolute condition. Lloyd (Geastreae, p. 18, 1902) placed the plant in his non-rigid (non-hygroscopic) section; whereas Coker (1924) held it to belong to the hygroscopic section, an opinion supported both by his and Lloyd's illustrations. Species placed under the hygroscopic section of the group possessing sulcate peristomes resemble one another so closely that separation is frequently a difficult matter. It is possible to recognize four species from this region by the following characters :— 1- Endoperidium typically pedicelled. 2 1'- Endoperidium typically sessile G.drummondii 2- Spores 6-8 um in diameter G.campestre 2'- Spores 4-5um in diameter. 3 3-Endoperidium asperate G.clelandii 3'-Endoperidium smooth G.smithii The presence of a pedicel is not always a satisfactory means of separation, as in occasional plants this structure may be much reduced, or even absent. The large spores are useful in separating G.campestre from the others; but even this feature may fail as, according to Smith (1935, p. 275), in South Africa intermediate forms occur. These led him to place G.clelandii under C.campestre; but as intermediates do not occur in this region I have retained both as valid species. Lloyd (Lyc.Aus., p. 19, 1905) recorded G.berkeleyi from Australia, and in a former paper I (1926, d, p. 78) accepted his identifka tion and listed it among the species of the region. The record should be deleted as I have since ascertained that it was based on specimens of G.drummondii.

DISTRIBUTION : Europe; North America; South Africa; Australia. South. Australia: Kinchina, six collections; M annum; Hallett's Cove (1)

TYPE LOCALITY: North America.