350 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



bottom. It is possible sometimes to obtain some mould upon 

 its matrix, which can be placed in such a box, and pinned to 

 the cork, and thus the conidiophores will remain intact; but 

 the conidia are attached so slightly that very few of them will 

 be found in situ. Compact species of such families as Tuber- 

 culariae and Stilbaceae are easily transported and preserved. 



Parasitical species such as the Uredines and all leaf Fungi 

 are the easiest to collect and preserve, and for them no 

 instructions are required except, perhaps, the suggestion that 

 the leaves should be pressed and dried flat in all cases, as they 

 consequently will occupy much less room, and can be 

 examined more readily when dry. 



The Discomycetes, although some of them are large and 

 fleshy, such as Morels and the more imposing Pezizeae, may 

 be dried in the air, taking care to note always the colour of 

 the disc when fresh. After being dried they will resume 

 their old form and dimensions when placed in water, although 

 they will never regain the lost colour. The only disadvantage 

 which results from reviving them in this way is, that when 

 they dry again they are liable to become hard, horny, and 

 brittle, except in the tough and leathery species. 



It is only necessary now to allude to the largest and 

 most widely distributed group of Fungi, containing not less 

 than 17,000 species. These are the Pyrenomycetes, with 

 the Sphaeropsideae, which latter resemble the Pyrenomycetes 

 in form and habit, but differ in not producing ascospores. 

 These Fungi are to be found on dead wood, branches, twigs, 

 leaves, herbaceous stems, dung, and almost every kind of 

 vegetable debris, the smaller species like little black dots, no 

 larger than a small pin's head, but the largest compound 

 species reaching the size of a man's fist. All of these suffer 

 nothing in the process of drying, and may be as readily 

 determined in five or ten years as on the day in which they 

 were collected. It will be necessary to note the locality and 

 date, and then each specimen can be folded in paper and put 

 away to await a more convenient season. It would be an 

 advantage, when this season arrives, that in every instance, 

 where possible, the name of the host should be indicated — as, 

 for instance, oak, beech, or elm stump, maple branch, or dead 



