Helvellaceae 



GYROMI'TKA Fr. 



Gyro, to turn; mitra, a head-covering. 



Gyromitra. Ascophore stipitate ; hymenophore subglobose, inflated and more or 

 less hollow, or cavernous, variously gyrose and convolute at the surface, 

 which is everywhere covered with the hymenium ; substance fleshy ; 

 asci cylindrical, 8-spored. Spores uniseriate, elongated, hyaline or 

 nearly so, continuous; paraphyses present. 



Helvetia of old authors. 



Distinguished from Morchella by the thick, brain-like folds of the 

 hymenophore not anastomosing to form irregularly polygonal depres- 

 sions ; and from Helvella in the hymenophore not being free from the 

 stem at the base. 



Growing on the ground. Massee. 



(Plate CXLVIIIa.) 



G. esculen'ta Fr. (Plate VI, fig. 6, p. 6.) Pileus rounded, 

 lobed, irregular, gyrose-convolute, glabrous, bay-red. 

 gtem stout ^ stuffed or hollow, whitish, often irregular. 

 Spores elliptical, binucleate, yellowish, 20-22/x long. 

 The Edible gyromitra, formerly known as Helvella 

 esculenta, is easily recognized by its chestnut-red 

 irregularly rounded and lobed cap with its brain-like 

 convolutions. The margin of the cap is attached to 

 the stem in two or three places. When cut through 

 it is found to be hollow, whitish within and uneven, 

 with a few prominent irregular ribs or ridges. The 

 stem is whitish, slightly scurfy, and when mature, hol- 

 low. In large specimens it sometimes appears as if 

 formed by the union of two or more smaller ones. 

 The plant is 24 in. high and the cap commonly 23 in. broad. 

 Specimens sometimes occur weighing a pound each. It is fond of sandy 

 soil and is found in May and June. It grows chiefly in wet weather or 

 in wet ravines or springy places in the vicinity of pine groves or pine 

 trees. Peck, 48th Rep. N. Y. State Bot. 



G. esculenta crispa n. var. Whole surface of the pileus finely reticu- 

 lated with anastomosing costae (ribs or veins). 



Under evergreens. North Elba. June. Peck, 5ist Rep. N. Y, 

 State Bot. 



546 



SECTION OF GYRO- 

 MITRA ESCULENTA. 



