HELVELLALES 65 



The Helvellaceae contain the largest Ascomycetes known, some 

 species of Gyromitra weighing over a pound, and forms of Mor- 

 chella are occasionally a foot high. Among the most common 

 genera are Morchella and Gyromitra, both of which are regarded 

 as great delicacies in Europe and are quite generally eaten in this 

 country. The morel (see frontispiece) is known in some parts of 

 the country as " the spring mushroom," and in the upper Missis- 

 sippi valley where it is usually very common in spring in woods, 

 low ground, or about old stumps in orchards, it is more commonly 

 known as "the mushroom" to the exclusion of other species. 

 Helvetia also contains several edible species. The six genera may 

 be readily recognized by the following synopsis : 



1. Ascomata with a distinct stalk. 2. 

 Ascomata columnar, not stalked, the interior formed of several longi- 

 tudinal chambers. UNDERWOODIA. 



2. Ascomata conical or gyrose, hollow at least in the upper portion. 3. 

 Ascomata campanulate or saddle-shaped, attached to the stipe at the 



middle. 4. 



3. Pileus oval or conic, the upper surface consisting of deep pits formed by 



longitudinal and transverse ridges. MORCHELLA. 



Pileus irregular or lobed, the upper surface covered with gyrose wrinkles. 



GYROMITRA. 



4. Pileus campanulate. VERPA. 

 Pileus flat or arched, almost discoid. CiDARiS. 

 Pileus lobed, irregular or saddle- shaped. HELVELLA. 



Of the above genera Cidaris is known only by the single species 

 decribed by Schweinitz, which has not since been found. Un- 

 derwoodia also contains a single rare species only sparingly found 

 in a single locality.* 



Verpa contains two species and possibly a third representing 

 two well marked sections : Ptychoverpa, with thick, simple or 

 forked, longitudinal ridges on the pileus, is represented by V. 

 bohemica, and Euverpa with a smooth pileus represented by 

 V. conica, and a second species with a dark colored pileus that may 

 be identical with V. atro-alba Fries. 



* Kirkville, Onondaga County, New York. Only six plants were found 

 in three different years. Schroeter placed this anomalous genus in the 

 Rhizinaceae, but its affinities are more clearly in this family. 



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