Spore-sac Fungi — Ascomycetes 



Vibrissea circinans 



yibrissea circinans'xs a pale yellowish flesh colour, or simply 

 yellowish fleshy fungus found growing in circles or clusters, 

 with convex caps and incurved, wavy margins, the concave under 

 surface often minutely wrinkled. The stem is long, pallid, or 

 reddish. The plant is found chiefly in pine woods. 



GENUS MITRULA 



The genus Miinila has the spore body erect, black or bright 

 coloured, and dry, spatulate, or cylindrical, often compressed lat- 

 erally. The spore-bearing surface is sharply distinct from the 

 scaly or mealy stem below. 



Irregular Mltrula (Edible) 



Mitrnla vitelUna, var. irregularis * 



Spore Body — Bright egg yellow. Club-shaped, somewhat lobed, 

 cylindrical or compressed ; apex narrow, obtuse, smooth. 

 No two plants are quite alike. Length, 1-2 inches. 



Stem — Short, white, rather distinct, covered with fibres. Spongy 

 and white within. 



Habitat — In mossy places in woods during the autumn. The 

 specimen pictured was found growing among fallen birch 

 leaves, hemlock needles, and moss, in the dense woods at 

 Lake Placid. 



FAMILY HELl/ELLACEy^— MORELS 



A second family Helvellacect contains three important gen- 

 era, Morchella, Gyromitra, and Helvetia, in which are the largest 

 and most highly prized spore-sac fungi known. They are dis- 

 tinguished from the earth-tongues by the cap-like form of the 

 spore body or ascoma, but especially by the character of the 

 spore-sac, which opens by a little lid instead of by a simple pore. 



Qir-9!'-nans Vl'-tel-ll'-na Gy'-ro-mi'-tra 



MKt'-rii-la M6r-kel'-la Hel-vel'-la 



* This species is also described under the names Geoglosstuii irregulare and 

 Geoglossttm vitellinum. 



140 



