BRITISH DISCOMYCETES. 



Key to the Genera of Helvellacei. 



Pileus clavate 

 Pileus spathulate 

 Pileus capitate 

 Pileus sessile and applanate 

 1. Hymenium confluent with the stem 

 Hymenium and stem black 

 Hymenium and stem brightly coloured 

 Pileus covered with deep angular pits 

 Pileus covered with deeply folded, undulating ribs 

 Pileus nearly even 

 Pileus deflexed, free, saddle-shaped 

 Pileus deflexecl, free, conical 

 Pileus globose or subclavate 

 Pileus globose, margin revolute 



Pilous globose or subclavate, margin contiguous with 

 tiio stem .. .. ,. . . . , . . 



Spa titular ia. 



3 



Rhizina. 



2 



Geoglossum. 



Leptoglossum 



Morchella. 



Gyromitra. 



4 



Helvetia. 



Verpa. 



5 



Leotia. 



Mitrula. 



Genus I. — Morchella. Dill. 



Receptacle stipitate, pileate, clavate, globose, or conical; 

 clothed above by the deeply folded and pitted hymenium ; 

 substance between waxy and fleshy; asci cylindrical; 

 containing (in British species) 8 sporidia. (Plate I. fig. 1.) 



Large fungi, 2 to 10 inches high, growing on the 

 ground in spring; firm, not soon decaying, with rather 

 a pleasant odour, and esculent. The deep, angular pits on 

 the hymenium readily distinguish them from their allies. 



JName — Latinized from the German Morchel. 



Arrangement of the Species. 



A. Pileus adnate at the base 

 b. Pileus free at the base 



species 1-4 

 5-6 



»> 



1. 



2. 



3. 



4. 



Key to the Species. 



Pileus adnate at the base . . . . . . , . 



Pileus partly free 

 / Stem short 

 \ Stem elongated . . 

 r Pileus with primary longitudinal ribs and squarish 



pilS •• •• •• . • •• .. • . 



Pileus without primary longitudinal ribs, pits some- 

 what pentagonal 

 j Pileus subcorneal, brown 

 \ Pileus subglobose, tawny 

 / Stem very large and pruinose . . 

 \ Stem smaller and nearly even . , 



1 

 4 

 2 

 3 



conica. 



esculent a. 



crassipes. 



Smithiana. 



gigas. 



semilibera. 



