Wright J.E. 1987. Bibliotheca Mycologia 113: 179.

Tulostoma purpusii P. Hennings. (Fig. 122-123; Pls. XIV: 4; XVII: 1-2;XL:2-3) - Hedwigia 37: 274. 1898.

= T. patagonicum Spegazzini var. andinum Spegazzini, An. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires 6: 187. 1898.
= T. orogrande Long, Lloydia 10: 123-125, fig. 10. 1947.

Etym.: The species was dedicated to the collector, A. Purpus.

Spore-sac large, up to 23 mm. Exoperidium not typically membranous but rather granular, although it falls off in parts in small scales, which are very thin layers of cemented hyphae from the internal portion; caducous except at the base, mixed with soil. Endoperidium finally smooth, yellowish-cream, darker towards the mouth; papyraceous fragile. Mouth circular, large up to 2 mm diam, slightly projected, with a darker perist- ome; in some specimens distinctly tubular. Socket deep, separated from the stem, with a lacerate membrane apparently arranged in several layers. Gleba brown. Stem up to 25-30 x 2-4 mm, scaly, subwoody, cinereous brown, decorticating and becoming whitish; the scales imbricated; straight, fistulose.

Spores globose to subglobose or elliptic, yellowish, with numerous appressed verrucae, mostly hemispheric, although some rib-like under L.M., 5-6.6-(8) µm diam; under SEM the ornamentation appears formed by much appressed, elevated, anastomosed crests, which exhibit a notorious likeness to a subreticulum, almost like filigrane; most have a prominent apiculus. Capillitium hyaline to yellowish, branched and septate; threads thick-walled, lumen visible to solid, more or less swollen at the coloured septa, 2.5-9 µm diam., disjointable, with blunt ends.

Habitat: sandy soil.

Distribution: North America: SW United States. Africa: South Africa. South America: Argentina. Australasia: Australia.

Holotype: United States, W Colorado, Umrompahque Range, "auf Knollen von Sedum rhodanthum," leg. A. Purpus, 1893, ex Herb. Sydow (S!).

Illustration: Long (op. cit.) as T. orogrande; Lloyd (1906: pl. 79, figs. 7-9).