HELVELT.A. 9 



Eur.," 1416; Fckl., "F. Rh," 2087; Klotzsch, " H. M„" 

 138 ; Karst., « Fung. Fenn.," 526 ; Phil., "El v. Brit," 101. 



On the ground. Spring. Esculent. 



The form of the sporidia at once distinguishes this 

 from the following species. In this, they are elliptical, 

 and obtuse at the ends ; in that, subfusiform, and almost 

 acute at the ends. 



The Rev. M. J. Berkeley says, " Gyromitra esculenta, 

 though frequently eaten, is not always safe — a circum- 

 stance which may depend rather on peculiarity of con- 

 stitution than on any intrinsically deleterious property " 

 (Intellectual Observer, 1866, p. 32). 



Name — Esculentus, esculent. 



Weybridge Heath, on sandy ground, April (Mr. F. 

 Currey). Forres, Scotland ! (Rev. Dr. Keith). 



2. Gyromitra gigas. (Kromb.) 



Pileus large, lobed, undulato-plicate, or curled, pallid, 

 whitish, or ochraceous ; lobes sub-adnate to the stem, 

 adpressed, somewhat undulating ; stem thick, cellular, 

 waxy, whitish, externally lacunose, subglabrous ; asci 

 cylindrical ; sporidia 8, elliptic, fusiform, 32 X 10 — 12/z ; 

 paraphyses slightly enlarged above. 



Helvetia gigas — Kromb., " Schw.," iii. 28, t. 20, f. 

 1-5 ; Currey, " Linn. Trans./' xxiv. t. 25, f. 25 ; Cooke, 

 "Handbk," No. 1943; Quelet, "Champ," pt. i. p. 382. 

 Gyromitra gigas — Cooke, " Mycogr," fig. 327. 



On the ground. Esculent. 



Name — yiyag, a giant ; from the large size. 



Coed Coch, North Wales (Mrs. Lloyd Wynn). Black- 

 heath Park (Mr. Frederick Currey). 



Genus III. — Helvella. Fries. 



Receptacle pileate, supported by the centre, deflexed, 

 sub-inflated, sinuous, concave, and barren beneath, 

 clothed above the margin by the hymenium ; hymenium 

 even, persistent; stem always present, united to the 



