ASCOMYCETES. 



Spores enclosed in a sac, or ascus. To distinguish them 

 from Basidiospores they are called sporidia. 



The essential character of this important division consists in 

 the development of definite or indefinite sporidia, within certain 

 external cells of the hymenium called asci, frequently accom- 

 panied by inarticulate or septate, simple or branched, threads, 

 which are abortive asci, known under the name of paraphyses. 

 — Berkeley Outlines, p. 270. 



The following natural orders are included under this group : 



Onygenki. — Parasitic on insects, etc. 

 Pkrisporiacbi. — Powdery mildews. 

 Sph^riacei. ) 

 Phacidiacei. I -Pyrenomycetes. 



TuBERACEi. — Elaphomyces. 



E1.VELLACE1. — Discomomycetes. 

 These natural orders are also divided into Discomomycetes. 

 The former includes Elvellacei and the latter consists of 

 Sphseriacei and Phacidiacei. 



Order I. EI/VBI/I/ACBI. 



Hymenium at length more or less exposed ; substance soft. 

 — Berkeley Outlines. 



This is also Discomomycetes, for the hymenium in many 

 species is in the form of a disc. 



The following genera are listed in our Valley: 



Morchella. — Pileate, deeply folded and pitted. 



HelvelIvA. — Pileate, concave below. 



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