178 



INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



filaments, which will ultimately constitute the asci, increase 

 and multiply.^ 



Starting with this idea of the general structure of the 

 discoid Fungi, it will scarcely be difficult at any time to dis- 

 tinguish the various genera and species from those of the 

 residue of ascomycetous Fungi. The latest revision of the 

 classitication is that by Professor Saccardo, and he has enu- 

 merated altogether 3450 species, distributed over twelve 

 families and included under 190 genera. 



The most striking divergences from the cup-shaped type 

 are those of the pileate forms, in which, as in MorchcUa (Fig. 72), 

 the irregular cups are gregarious upon a 

 common stroma ; or in others of the 

 pileate genera in which the hymenium 

 is spread over the upper surface of 

 erect clubs, as in Geoglossum, or ex- 

 panded laminae, as in Hclvella. In 

 all these cases the fructifying surface 

 is superior and exposed, and the sporiclia 

 are contained in membranaceous sacs 

 or asci, which latter are not enclosed 

 in closed perithecia. Many of them 

 Fig. l2.—Morcheila escuienta. are large euough and succulent enough 

 to be employed as articles of food, and 

 we do not remember that any one species has been proved to 

 be poisonous, although doubts have been expressed of the 

 wholesome character of one or two, and notably of Gyromitra 

 escuienta. 



The largest number inhabit the ground or flourish on 

 rotten wood, and by far the most part are confined to temperate 

 climates, species found in tropical or subtropical regions 

 being chiefly those of a tough and leathery consistence. The 

 Morels, for instance, wdien they occur in India, are found at 

 considerable elevations on the Himalayas, where the climate 

 corresponds to that of temperate regions (Fig. 73). The analogues 

 of the fleshy Pezizae are found under the aspect of Ccnangium, 

 JJrnula, or Tympanis in warm climates ; whilst in Mexico and 



^ Tulasiie, " On the Plienomena of Copulation in certain Fungi," Aim. dcs Sci. 

 Nat., 1866, p. 211. 



