Ohio Mycological Bulletin No. ^. 



15 



chel'-la punc'-ti-pes (the Latin word pes means foot or stem), much 

 like the Free-cap shown in fig. 19, is said to have a squam'-u-lose stem, 

 i. e. covered by little scale-like bodies or points. Then another free-cap 

 form is the Mor-chel'-la bis'-po-ra — which would require the use of a 

 microscope for positive identification, since its spores are two in a sac 

 instead of eight as in all other forms. 



The Sem-i-lib'-er-a Morel is small, and while edible is not to be 

 compared with the larger tender forms as the M. esculenta, M. crassipes, 

 and M. conica. 



Pe-zi'-za Family. — This group is called Pe-zi-za'-ce-ae by the 

 botanists, and for a distinctive common name we will say Pe-zi'-zas. It 

 is a large group but well illustrated by figs. 20 and 21, which show that 

 the form is in general cup or saucer shaped. The hy-me'-ni-al layer — 

 i. e. the layer which bears the spores — is the more or less colored por- 

 tion lining the cup within. 



In Pe-zi'-za re-tic-u-la'-ta the color within is brown and the gen- 

 eral form may be as regular as those shown in fig. 20, but often they are 

 not so uniform in size and very irregular in shape ; Fig. 21 shows such 

 common forms of the same species. Dr. E. J. Durand says that he re- 

 ceived a specimen from Illinois that was locm. broad (6 inches). 



The Pe-zi'-zas are very satisfactory for table use but can hardly be 

 placed on a par with the Morels and Helvellas. The young fresh speci- 

 mens only ought to be used. 



Hel-vel'-la Family. — This group, called in botanical language 

 Hel-vel-la'-ce-ae, contains such striking forms as the Morels, already 

 figured in Bulletin No. 3, and again on page 13; also other species of 

 which those called Gy-ro-mi'-tra are at once to be recognized from the 

 figure herewith given (Fig. 21). The cap which is covered by the hyme- 

 nial. or spore-bearing layer, is of peculiar lobed or irregular form, the 

 surface covered with gyrose wrinkles, whereas the Morchellas have pits 

 formed by longitudinal and transverse wrinkles. The Gy-ro-mi'-tra 

 brun'-ne-a shown in Fig. 21 has a cap of red-orange color, 3d shade, of 

 Prang's system. It is quite variable in form as the illustration shows. 

 No edible fungus perhaps is superior to this. It may be searched for in 

 such localities as produce the Morels — where there are decaying logs and 

 stumps, and the soil is rich in such organic matter. 



Fig. 2L Pe-zi'-za re-tic-u-la'-ta. Reticulate Peziza. Edible. Typical form of the species ; 

 the scale represents inches. 



