6S 



GUIDE TO THE MODELS OF FUNGI. 



173. Polysaccum olivaceum Fr. — Peridium smooth or somewhat 

 tuberculose, roundish, reddish-brown-olive, dehiscing irregularly; 



filled with cavities with rigid 

 walls ; peridiola irregular, angu- 



lar, yellow ; stalk short, abrupt. 

 Very rare ; sandy places. 



^s^/3^^:;<Rif^>7^'^^ <>, 



Fig. 69. — Polysaccum olivaceum Fr. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



ORDER X. 

 HYMENOGASTRE^. 



Subterranean fun2;i, differing 

 from the true truffles in the 

 spores being borne on basidia, 

 and not enclosed in asci. There 

 are seven British genera and 

 twenty species o{ Hymenogastreoe; 

 of these only one species is re- 

 presented by a model. 



ASOO 



GENUS XXXVI.— MELANOGASTER Corda. 



The peridium has no distinct base ; it contains hymenial 

 •chambers filled with spores, which are smooth. 



174. Melanogaster variegatus Tul. — The exterior is yellowish 

 or ferruginous and finely granular ; the interior is soft, intensely 

 blue-black, marbled with yellow. 



M. varicgatus usually 

 grows gregariously two or 

 three inches beneath the 

 surface ; at other times it 

 is partly exposed, and only 

 covered by leaves and 

 twigs. Under beeches, 

 poplars, etc. 



The odour is strong. Fig. 70.— Mclano-astcrvaricgalusTul. (Naturalsize.) 



aromatic, agreeable, and Hasidium with spores x 500. 



not unlike that of bitter almonds; when cooked, the taste is sweet 

 and approved by many. Formerly this fungus was commonly sold 

 in the markets of Bath under the name of the "Red Truffle," but of 

 late years nothing has been seen of it in the shops or on the 

 stalls. This species is eaten on the Continent. 



Var. Broomciatms Berk. — Slightly differs from the type in the 

 marbling being at first pale, then red, sometimes permanently pale, 

 but never bright yellow. Externally reddish-ochre, becoming less 

 bright; internally white, then pale yellow, at length smoky. 



The variety is scentless when young, but soon acquires a 

 sweet treacly odour, or an odour of decaying pears, less powerful 

 than the scent belonging to the type. Under beeches and Lombardy 

 poplars. 



