70 



GUIDE TO THE MODELS OF FUNGI. 



summer; it prefers a limestone soil. Morels are often met with 

 where ash and elm trees abound, and frequently on burnt ground, 

 among dead twigs, etc. Odour faint, pleasant. Esculent, but 

 deficient in flavour and tough. Sold in Swiss markets. In cooking 

 morels fill the cavity with minced meat and stew slowly. Morels 

 can be readily dried on strings in a dry room ; they should, however, 

 not touch each other, as contact favours the growth of mould. 

 Morels are chiefly used for flavouring soups, sauces, and gravies. 

 Ketchup can be made from them. 



Sometimes the pileus of the growing fungus appears as if 

 dusted with snuff. This is owing to the attack of a parasitic fungus, 

 Hypomyces cervinus Tul. 



176. Morchella conica Pers. — Pileus tapering-conical, adnata at 

 the base to the stem ; primary ribs longitudinal, secondary forming 

 transverse folds ; pits elongated, narrow, plicato-lacunose ; stalk 

 tapering upwards from the base, whitish. 



Grows in woods and woody places. Edible. 



177. Morchella semilibera DC. — Pileus conical, free half-way 

 up; ribs longitudinal, forming oblong pits, which are veined within ; 



stalk nearly even ; colour lutes- 

 cent, when dry dull fulvous; stalk 

 whitish. 



Grows in woods and woody 

 places in spring and early summer. 

 Edible. 



GENUS XX XVI IT. 

 GYROMITRA Fr. 



Receptacle stipitate, pileate, 

 dcflexed, bullato-inflatcd ; ribs of 

 hymenium gyrose. There are two 

 British species ; one of these is 

 represented by a model. 



Fig. 73. — Gyromitrn esculenta Fers. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



178. Gyromitra esculenta Pers. 

 — Pileus somewhat globose, inflated, 

 irregularly undulate, gyroso-rugose, dark rich brown, margin an- 

 nexed to the even, whitish buff", villous stalk ; substance fleshy. 



A ver> rare species in Britain; it grows on sandy ground in 

 the spring. 



Said to be edible, but, according to the Rev, M. J. Berkeley, 

 not always safe. 



GENUS XXXIX.— HELVE LLA L. 

 Receptacle stipitate, pileate, supported up the centre, deflexed, 



