Common Species of Edible Fungi. 197 



Our common Morel is — 



MORCHELLA ESCULENTA, LiuH. 



Pileus (upper, cap-like part) cream-yellow or buff when 

 mature, ovate, oblong or even globose, attached to the stem 

 below, and covered all over with (more or less) shallow 

 depressions or pits caused by the uniting or anastomosing of 

 the numerous ribs; stipe short (about i' or 2'), often irreg- 

 ular, hollow, concolorous, slightly granular. 



Height 4 '-6'. Diameter of pileus about i'. Plate V., 

 Figs. I and 2. 



This species, when collected fresh and suitably cooked, 

 certainly affords a welcome dish. It appears in earl}' spring 

 (April to May in our latitude), in woodlands, orchards and 

 meadows, supported apparently by the decaying roots of trees 

 recently felled, though not confined to these; hence more 

 commonly found about stumps, sometimes ccespitose, in 

 clusters from two or three to a dozen together. 



The entire make-up of the plant is so characteristic and 

 peculiar that it seems hardly possible that anyone having once 

 seen a specimen or even a reasonably good figure should ever 

 mistake the species. Young specimens have generally a sooty 

 or smoky tint between the ridges, sometimes almost black. 

 Such specimens are perfectly edible, though hardly at their 

 best. 



A related form, Gyromitra esciilenta, Fr., rare in our local- 

 ity, is much larger, is undulate -rugose, not pitted, and is 

 brown in color. This species is reckoned edible, although 

 the Enghsh botanists say " not always safe." The denuded 

 pileus of the stink-horn {Phallus die)iiormm, Rumph.) is pitted, 

 but is sufficiently repulsive on general principles to ward off 

 the boldest collector, and needs no description here. 



The edible mushroom, however, is — 



Agaricus campester, Z. 

 Pileus solid, flesh}^, smooth or silky-floccose, pale brown or 

 tawny, at first convex-hemispherical, at length expanded, the 

 margin thin and slightly exceeding the gills; lamellae broad. 



