﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  

  

  105 
  

  

  The 
  sporidia 
  of 
  many 
  of 
  the 
  Pezizoe 
  are 
  ejected 
  from 
  

   the 
  hymenium 
  with 
  such 
  force, 
  and 
  in 
  such 
  profusion, 
  

   that 
  they 
  form 
  a 
  cloud 
  or 
  vapour 
  of 
  minute 
  sporidia 
  in 
  

   the 
  air 
  around 
  the 
  plant 
  from 
  whence 
  they 
  are 
  expelled 
  

   In 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  genera 
  of 
  this 
  order 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  

   hymenium 
  is 
  greatly 
  enlarged 
  by 
  folding 
  or 
  plaiting, 
  

   so 
  that 
  there 
  are 
  deep 
  fissures 
  or 
  cavities, 
  which 
  give 
  

   such 
  a 
  distinct 
  feature 
  to 
  the 
  plants, 
  that 
  there 
  is 
  little 
  

   fear 
  of 
  confounding 
  them 
  with 
  other 
  species. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  order 
  Elvellacei 
  we 
  meet 
  externally 
  and 
  

   superficially 
  with 
  the 
  appearance 
  of 
  a 
  return 
  to 
  the 
  

   pileated 
  forms 
  encountered 
  in 
  

   the 
  commencement 
  of 
  our 
  sur- 
  

   vey. 
  The 
  hymenium 
  is 
  at 
  length 
  

   more 
  or 
  less 
  exposed, 
  and 
  some- 
  

   times 
  borne 
  on 
  a 
  stem. 
  In 
  the 
  

   genus 
  Morchella 
  the 
  hymenium 
  

   is 
  folded 
  upon 
  a 
  stalked 
  recep- 
  

   tacle, 
  these 
  folds 
  forming 
  dee]) 
  

   pits, 
  at 
  times 
  irregular, 
  at 
  others 
  

   definite 
  in 
  shape. 
  In 
  such 
  species 
  

   as 
  have 
  the 
  pileus 
  free 
  at 
  the 
  base, 
  

   the 
  external 
  contour 
  reminds 
  

   one 
  at 
  first 
  of 
  a 
  conical-capped 
  Fig.h. 
  

  

  Agaric 
  ; 
  but 
  this 
  resemblance 
  no 
  longer 
  obtains 
  when 
  

   it 
  is 
  remembered 
  that 
  the 
  hymenium 
  is 
  borne 
  on 
  the 
  

   upper 
  surface, 
  and 
  not 
  on 
  the 
  under, 
  as 
  in 
  Agarics 
  

   and 
  Boleti. 
  

  

  The 
  Morell 
  (Morchella 
  esculenta) 
  is 
  chiefly 
  em- 
  

   ployed 
  in 
  this 
  country 
  in 
  the 
  dried 
  state 
  a? 
  a 
  seasoning 
  

  

  