FLOWERLESS PLANTS 



163 



it in the same manner as did the hyphse of black mold. The mushroom is 

 a saprophyte. No sexual stage has yet been discovered. 



Poisonous Mushrooms. — Fungi of the mushroom species are classed by 

 botanists as edible and inedible. The latter are popularly known as toad- 

 stools. It is difficult to give the beginner any stated rules by which to 

 distinguish the inedible from the edible species. A few general rules may 

 be given, however, to the collector: — 



Do not use mushrooms that are old or black. 



Never collect those with swollen bases surrounded with saclike or scaly 

 envelopes. (Such a structure forms the so-called death cup of the deadly 

 Amanita.) 



Do not collect mushrooms in the early stage known as buttons. 



Do not use mushrooms with a milky juice. 



Avoid fungi with a weblike ring around the upper part of the stipe. 

 Be very cautious about trying new varieties. Better learn one or two 

 edible species and stick to them. Beginners may safely eat any of the 

 club or coral fungi found growing on dead trees in damp woods ; also young 

 puffballs and the morels, with 

 their characteristically ridged sur- 

 face. 



Food Value of Mushrooms. — 

 The food value of the edible 

 mushroom has been much over- 

 estimated. Recent experiments 

 seem to show that, although they 

 have a slight food value, they are 

 far from taking the place of ni- 

 trogenous foods, as was formerly 

 believed by scientists. 



Shelf Fungus. — A near rela- 

 tion to the mushroom is the 

 bracket or tree fungus. This fun- 

 gus is familiar to any one who has 

 been in a forest in this part of the 

 country. 



An examination of specimens 

 shows that the shelf or bracket is 

 in reality a spore case, which is 

 usually provided with a very con- 

 siderable number of holes, slits, or 

 pores in which the spores are 

 fonned. The spores, when ripe, 



Shelf or bracket fungi on dead tree trunk. 

 Photographed by Overton. 



escape from the under surface of the spore-bearing body through the 

 minute pores. The mycelium is within the tissue of the tree. Remove 



