DEVELOPMENT OF THE GEOGLOSSACEAE 
G. H. Durr 
(WITH PLATES VIII~xII) 
Introduction 
Detailed knowledge of the ontogeny of Helvellinean fungi had 
its beginnings in the work of Dirrricu (7), whose paper on the 
complete development of Mitrula phalloides and Leotia gelatinosa 
(L. lubrica), with observations on other forms, has been the start- 
ing point for all subsequent life history studies in this group. This 
worker found that in the early stages of growth the ascocarps of 
Mitrula and Leotia possess a veil which, although evanescent, covers 
over the hymenium during the early part of their history, and thus 
renders their development endogenous. Heretofore the Hel- 
vellineae had been regarded as an essentially exogenous order, and 
SCHROETER (20) had separated them on this basis from the Pezizi- 
neae, in which group the hymenium was considered to be developed 
characteristically in a closed cavity which later opened. DURAND 
(11) confirmed and extended Dirrricu’s observations in the intro- 
duction to his excellent monograph of the Geoglossaceae. He states 
that he had observed the veil of Mitrula phalloides before learning 
of Dirrricn’s work. He had, in addition, noted the occurrence 
of a particularly well organized veil in Microglossum viride, and the 
conspicuous envelopes of Spathularia velutipes and Cudonia lutea. 
Of the latter he published beautiful photographs, illustrating these 
structures macroscopically. 
The next contribution to this subject was a paper by McCusBBIN 
(17) on the development of Helvella elastica. His work constitutes 
the first study in the family Helvellaceae, all the previous work 
having been confined to the Geoglossaceae. Here also it is stated 
that a membrane incloses the ascocarp in the younger stages of the 
form with which he worked. It is disorganized relatively early, and 
the last traces of it are cast off with the appearance of the pa- 
raphyses. Brown (4) follows with an account of the development 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 74] [264 
