FLOWERLESS PLANTS 



449 



esculent a, the esculent morel, has an oblong or egg-shaped 

 cap, and in M. deliciosa, the " delicious " morel, the cap is 

 nearly cylindrical. 



Stinkhorn Mushrooms, Phalloidece. These might be 

 omitted, did they not too often force themselves upon our 

 attention. Their vile odors, suggestive of decaying animal 

 matter or escaping sewer gas, strike consternation to the 

 householder, and he is likely to begin a vain, because mis- 

 directed, search for the cause of offense. The odor prob- 

 ably serves the plant by attracting 

 insects, which in return for their 

 feast disseminate its spores. While 

 there are several kinds, differing in 

 color and somewhat in structure 

 and form, the general appearance of 

 the plant as shown in Fig. 184 will 

 be sufficient to classify any specimen 

 that may be brought in. The stink- 

 horns are not given in the books as 

 poisonous ; in fact, most of them have 

 the reputation of being " edible" if 

 taken in the egg stage. The most 

 frequent question about them, however, relates not to their 

 edibleness, but rather to methods by which they may be 

 exterminated. They are apt to grow about rotting wood in 

 damp places, and since we know that the main portion of 

 the plant, the mycelium, consists of a mass of fine threads 

 beneath the surface it will probably be necessary only to 

 scrape up and clear away any decaying wood and possibly 

 turn over the soil to a depth of a foot effectually to rid the 

 place of the nuisance. 



FIG. 184. STINKHORN 

 MUSHROOM AND EGGS 



