Plants globose and submerged, becoming superficial and expanded when to 6 cm. across. Exoperidium split to below the middle into 7-12 equal acute rays, which are expanded when wet, strongly involute when dry, folding over the endoperidium; fleshy layer thick, adnate, umber, rimose in mature plants; exterior at first covered with an evanescent mycelial layer, becoming smooth and polished, bay or umber brown; base convex or plane. Endoperidium sessile, depressed globose or globose, 1-2.5 cm. diameter, greyish or bay brown, finely pubescent, and somewhat areolate. Stoma indefinite, without a depressed zone. Gleba umber; pseudo-columella absent. Spores globose, 7.5-10.5um diameter, epispore chestnut brown, or fuscous, 1um thick, finely and densely warted, appearing areolate. Of those placed in the hygroscopic section, the species may be recognized by the firm cartilaginous rays of the exoperidium, roughened endoperidium and, particularly, the large coarsely warted spores

DISTRIBUTION: Europe; North America; India; Australia. Victoria: Dandenong Ranges (4).

TYPE LOCALITY : Europe.