University Bulletin, Series 7, No. 14. Botanical Series No. 14 



Ohio Mycological "Bulletin No. 2 



W . A. Kellerman, Ph.D., Ohio State University, LIBRAB 



Columbus, Ohio, March 2$, igoS- NCW VO 



^ BOT A NIC 



FELICITATION. — The response to the proposition to form aVjAKDc 

 Mycological Club has been most gratifying and several Bulletins can 

 now be promised. Thanks are extended to the many professional bot- 

 anists and eminent mycologists who have joined the enterprise. But it 

 is noted also with special pleasure that some very young people and 

 some very old people (old in years only, not in spirit and sympathy) 

 are on the membership roll. The third Bulletin will give additional 

 names of members; all can not be recorded in the present issue. 



Promise is again renewed that the Bulletin will be true to its 

 original purpose, namely, to try to help beginners, pupils, students, and 

 amateurs ; to aid in systematically observing and studying the Mush- 

 rooms, both for the pleasure of knowing more about our beautiful world,, 

 and for the purpose of enjoying the edible properties of the plants in 

 question. I invite j^our assistance in still greatly extending the mem- 

 bership. The fee is only 10 cents, and this pays for all the Bulletins to be 

 issued this season. 



BOTANICAL NA]\IES. — Let beginners and those who have not 

 studied botany, observe that in scientific language the principal name,, 

 or the name cf the ge'-nus, is placed first, followed by the name of the- 

 species (kind). For example, we say Mor-chel'-la es-cu-len'-ta. Mor- 

 chel'-la con'-i-ca. Mnr-chel'-la an-gus'-ti-ceps, or Quer'-cus al'-ba,. 

 Quer'-cus ru'-bra. Quer'-cus vel-u-ti'-na. instead of Edible Morchella (or 

 Edible Morel). Conical Morel, Narrow-head Morel, or White Oak, Red' 

 Oak, Black Oak. 



They are as simple and as easily learned as the English or common' 

 names, and ought to be more generally used. The form of the word is 

 Latin — which is the universal language among educated people. Many 

 plant names in universal use are the Latin, latinized, or scientific names, 

 as Geranium, Hydrangea. Phlox. Deut'-zi-a, Ge-as'-ter, Bo-vis'-ta : and 

 some are the anglicised Latin names, as Rose, Saxifrage, Borage, Thyme., 

 Mint. Ag'-ar-ic. 



THE MORELS, HONEY-COMB FUNGI. OR MORCHELLAS.— 

 It is proper to say Mor'-el. Mo-relle'. or Mor-chel'-la (pron. mor-kel'-la). 

 These are among the earliest mushrooms of the season and are so peculiar 

 that no one could mistake them. Besides, all of them are delicious; none 

 are injurious — I make this emphatic because some one recently said 

 he thought one kind was poisonous. The figures on the following pages 

 show the general appearance of the plants. They are reproduced by the 

 kind permission nf Professor Atkinson from his book on Mushrooms 

 Edible and Poisonous, and are a fair sample of the numerous excellent 

 figures in that book which I hope many will be able to get and use. 



I propose that we make these fungi our first study of the season, 

 so far as the members can take opportunity to observe them. Some 

 botanists say there are many species (kinds) and call them by names, 

 as given below : arranging them in two groups according to the mode of 



Entered as Second Class Matter, Post-office at Columbus, O. 



