Anderson & Ickis: Massachusetts Species of Helvella 209 



between Helvella and Macropodia. Boudier (1885) separated 

 these species from Helvella and established the genus Lepto- 

 podia with H. elastica as the type. 



The third section includes H. csculenta, H. infula, and other 

 species which are now commonly referred to the genus Gyro- 

 mitra. Their characters tend toward those of Morchella. Fries 

 considered H. esculent a so distinct from the other species that 

 he made it the basis of a separate genus Gyromitra which he 

 characterized thus : " Discus bullato-in flatus, costis clevatis gyro- 

 sus" (Sum. veg. Scan. 346. 1846). He left H. infula, how- 

 ever, in the genus Helvella. This species seems more closely re- 

 lated to H. esculcnta than to the other Helvellae, and Rehm has 

 therefore removed it also to Gyromitra. Seaver considers it 

 identical with G. esculcnta and unites the two under the name 

 Elvela infula SchaefT. Pending further study of fresh material 

 in the field, the writers have not considered this or other species 

 of Gyomitra in this paper. G. brunnca Und. is the only other 

 species of that genus which they have found in Massachusetts. 

 They hope to discuss Gyromitra in a future paper. 



Key to Species of Helvella in the Northeastern States 



I. Stipe longitudinally sulcate-costate (fluted). 



1. Plants light-colored (white, cream-colored to 

 light-buff, or with bright-yellow hymenial 

 surface), margin upturned, usually free. H. crispa. 

 1. Plants some shade of gray, brown or black. 



2. Pileus venose below with prominent branch- 

 ing veins radiating from the stipe. H. Queletiana. 

 2. Pileus not prominently venose below. 



3. Pileus more or less saddle-shaped, com- 

 pressed, firm, margin permanently ad- 

 nate with the stipe. H. lacitnosa 



3. Pileus irregularly agariciform (only 

 rarely saddle-shaped), less firm, mar- 

 gin usually found free. H. palustris. 

 3. Pileus cup-shaped (pezizoid), stipe and 



lower surface of plieus black velvety. H. nigra 



II. Stipe smooth ; somewhat lacunose at times but never sulcate-costate. 



1. Margin of pileus always free. 



2. Pileus more or less cup-shaped (margin up- 

 turned), lower surface and stipe villose 

 with brown moniliform hairs. 

 3. Spores blunt-ellipsoid, 15—18//, long. H. ephippium. 

 3. Spores ellipsoid-fusiform, 18-25,11 long. Macropodia macropus 



