48S BRITISH FUNGI 



MORCHELLA 



Ascophore stipitate or sometimes almost sessile, more or less 

 globose or o\'ate, attached to the stem throughout its length, hollow 

 and continuous with the cavity of the stem, externally with stout, 

 anastomosing ribs enclosing irregular polygonal or elongated pits ; 

 stem stout, stuffed or hollow (spores i-celled, colourless, elliptical). 



Differs from Mitrophora in the ascophore being attached to the 

 stem throughout its length. From Gyromitra in having irregularly 

 polygonal pits instead of brain-like folds on the surface of the 

 ascophore. 



M. esculenta (PI. XXXVIII, fig. 8). — Cap globose, ovate or 

 oblong, hollow, ribs stout, forming irregularly polygonal, deep pits, 

 pale dingy yellow, buff, tawny, sometimes tinged olive, 2-3 in. high ; 

 stem stout, almost eve 

 (spores 19-20 X 10 //). 



Variable in size, form, and colour, but known by the cap being at- 

 tached to the stem throughout its length, and the stout ribs anas- 

 tomosing to form irregularly polygonal, and not elongated pits. 

 Edible. 



On the ground. Spring and early summer, 



M. conica. — Cap elongated, somewhat conical or almost cylin- 

 drical, tip blunt, hollow, the cavity continuous with that of the 

 stem, primary ribs stout, deep, joined by thinner cross-pieces 

 forming elongated, irregular pits, greyish brown or olive-brown, 

 2-3 in. long ; stem cylindrical, whitish, minutely downy, hollow, 

 about I in. long (spores 16-18x8-9 /x). 



Resembling M. elata in the longitudinal ribs on the cap, but 

 smaller, and differing in the stem not being scurfy. 



On the ground. Edible. 



M. elata. — Allied to M. conica. Cap conical, with thin ril)s running 

 from edge to apex and more or less parallel, connected by shallower 

 transverse ribs, pale yellowish brown, 2-3 in. high, sometimes 

 larger ; stem stout, hollow, very fragile, whitish, scurfy. 



In fir woods. Spring. 



M. crassipes. — Agreeing with M. esculenta in the pits on the 

 surface of the ascophore being irregularly polygonal in form ; 

 differing in the very stout stem being much longer than the as- 

 cophore. 



On the ground. Spring. 



Gyromitra 



Ascophore stipitate, subglobose, inflated and more or less hollow 

 or cavernous, surface variously convolute and gyrose, or with brain- 

 like folds, substance fleshy ; stem very stout, short (spores i-celled, 

 elongated, colourless or nearly so). 



Differs from Hclvella in the hymenophore not being free from the 



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