Fig. 855. F^- 85 *- Fig. 857. 



Cordyceps capitata. Cordyceps ophioglossoides 



CORDYCEPS CAPITATA AND CORDYCEPS OPHIOGLOS- 

 SOIDES . Most species of Cordyceps are developed from insects, 

 but these two are peculiar in their host, always occurring on hypo- 

 gaeal fungi, viz., species of Elaphomyces. But two species are known 

 with this habitat. Both are rather frequent in the United States and 

 Europe. Massee would put these two species into a separate genus, 

 on account of their host, which is hardly a logical stand for the author 

 of Cordyceps lignicolum (sic) to take. 



The distinction between Cordyceps capitata and Cordyceps 

 ophioglossoides is not a distinction of shape, as is generally supposed, 

 but there are two essential differences, stem attachment and spores. 



CORDYCEPS CAPITATA (Fig. 855), grows directly from the 



^^ host. The secondary spores (Fig. 858) are cylindrical, 



3 x 12-16 mic. long. I think never 25-40, as stated in 



Saccardo, which record was probably based on segments 



that were not finally divided. The heads are usually 



^ . subglobose (Fig. 855), though rarely clavate in the form 



called var. Canadensis, as shown in figure 860. This 



Fig. sss. c i ava te form was named Cordyceps Canadensis by Ellis, 



but it is a form at the most, not a species. 



608 



