THE SPORE-SAC FUNGI 



491 



in a sac or ascus. 

 The ridges, as will 

 be seen in Figure 

 415, run from the 

 top to the bottom. 

 The stem is much 

 longer than the cap, 

 hollow, and some- 

 times swollen at the 

 base. The whole 

 plant is fragile and 

 very tender. The 

 plants in Figure 415 

 were collected in 

 Michigan by Prof. 

 Longyear. Those in 

 the full page dis- 

 play were found 

 near Columbus and 

 were photographed 

 by Dr. Kellerman. 

 It seems to have a 

 wide range, but is 

 nowhere very plen- 

 tiful. 



The spores can be readily obtained from morels by taking a mature speci- 

 men and placing it on white paper under a glass for a few hours. 



The beginner will find much difficulty in identifying the species of Morels ; 

 but if he is collecting them for food he need not give the matter any thought, 

 since none need be avoided, and they are so characteristic that no one need be 

 afraid to gather them. 



Figure 414. Morchella semilibera. One-half natural size. 



Morchclla crassipes. Pcrs. 

 The Gigantic Morel. Edible. 



Crassipes is from crassus, thick ; pes, foot. 



The cap resembles the cap of M. esculenta in its form and irregular pitting, 

 but it is quite a little larger. The stem is very stout, much longer than the pileus, 

 often very much wrinkled and folded. I have found only a few specimens of 

 this species. Found in April and May. 



