Gyromitra is from _gyro_, to turn; _mitra_, a hat or bonnet. This genus is so called because the plants look like a hood that is much wrinkled or plaited.

Ascoph.o.r.e stipitate; hymenoph.o.r.e 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. _Ma.s.see._

_Gyromitra esculenta. Fr._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate LIV. Figure 418.--Gyromitra esculenta.]

Esculenta means edible. This is the largest spore-sac fungus. The original name was Helvella esculenta. It is bay-red, round, wrinkled or convoluted, attached to the stem, irregular, with brain-like convolutions.

The stem is hollow when mature, often very much deformed, whitish, scurvy, frequently enlarged or swollen at the base, sometimes lacunose, frequently attenuated upward, at first stuffed; asci cylindrical, apex obtuse, base attenuated, 8-spored; spores obliquely uniseriate, hyaline, smooth, continuous, elliptical, 17-259-11; paraphases numerous.

This plant will be readily recognized from Figure 418, and its bay-red or chestnut-red cap with its brain-like convolutions. The books speak of its being found in pine regions, but I have found it frequently in the woods near Bowling Green, Sidney, and Chillicothe. Many authors give this plant a bad reputation, yet I have eaten it often and when it is well prepared it is good. I should advise caution in its use. It is found in damp sandy woods during May and June. The plant in Figure 418 was found near Chillicothe.

_Gyromitra brunnea. Underwood._

THE BROWN GYROMITRA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 419.--Gyromitra brunnea.]

Brunnea is from _brunneus_, brown. A stout, fleshy plant, stipitate, three to five inches high, bearing a broad, much contorted, brown ascoma. Stem is to 1.5 inch thick, more or less enlarged and spongy, solid at the base, hollow below, rarely slightly fluted, clear white; receptacle two to four inches across in the widest direction, the two diameters usually more or less unequal, irregularly lobed and plicate; in places faintly marked into areas by indistinct anastomosing ridges; closely cohering with the stem in the various parts; color a rich chocolate-brown or somewhat lighter if much covered with the leaves among which it grows; whitish underneath; asci 8-spored. Spores oval.

This plant is found quite frequently about Bowling Green. The land is very rich there and produced both G. esculenta and G. brunnea in greater abundance than I have found elsewhere in the state. It is quite tender and fragile. The specimen in Figure 419 was found near Cincinnati and photographed by Mr. C. G. Lloyd.

_Helvella elastica. Bull._

THE PEZIZA-LIKE HELVELLA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 420.--Helvella elastica.]

Elastica means elastic, referring to its stem. The pileus is free from the stem, drooping, two to three lobed, center depressed, even, whitish, brownish, or sooty, almost smooth underneath, about 2 cm. broad.

The stem is two to three and a half inches high, and three to five lines thick at the inflated base; tapering upward, elastic, smooth, or often more or less pitted; colored like the pileus, minutely velvety or furfuraceous; at first solid, then hollow. Spores hyaline, continuous, elliptical, ends obtuse, often 1-guttulate, 18-2010-11; 1-serrate; paraphyses septate, clavate. _Ma.s.see._

The plants in the figure were found near Columbus and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. I have not found the plant as far south as Chillicothe, though I found it frequently in the northern part of the state. It grows in the woods on leaf-mould.

_Helvella lacunosa. Afz._

THE CINEREOUS HELVELLA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 421.--Helvella lacunosa.]

Lacunosa, full of pits or pitted. This is a beautiful plant, very closely related to the Morch.e.l.las.

The pileus is inflated, lobed, cinereous black, lobes deflected, adnate.

The stem is hollow, white or dusky, exterior ribbed, forming intervening cavities.

The asci are cylindrical, and stemmed. The sporidia are ovate and hyaline.

The deep longitudinal grooves in the stem are characteristic of this species. The plants from which the halftone was made were collected near Sandusky and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. They grow in moist woods. I found the plants frequently in the woods near Bowling Green and occasionally about Chillicothe, growing about well-decayed stumps.

_Hypomyces. Tul._

Hypomyces means upon a mushroom. It is parasitic on fungi. Mycelium byssoid; perithecia small; asci 8-spored.

_Hypomyces lactifluorum. Schw._

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 422.--Hypomyces lactifluorum. The entire plant is a bright yellow. Natural size.]

Lactifluorum means milk-flowing. It is parasitic on Lactarius, probably piperatus, as this species surrounded it. It seems to have the power to change the color into an orange-red ma.s.s, in many cases entirely obliterating the gills of the host-species, as will be seen in Figure 422.

The asci are long and slender. The sporidia are in one row, spindle-shaped, straight or slightly curved, rough, hyaline, uniseptic, cuspidate, pointed at the ends, 30-386-8.

This very closely resembles Hypomyces aurantius, but the sporidia are larger, rough and warted and the felt-like mycelium at the base is wanting.

It occurs in various colors, orange, red, white, and purple. It is not plentiful, occurring only occasionally. Capt. McIlvaine says, "When it is well cooked in small pieces it is among the best." It is found from July to October.

_Leptoglossum luteum. (Pk.) Sac._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 423.--Leptoglossum luteum.]

Leptoglossum is from two Greek words, meaning thin, delicate, and tongue; luteum means yellowish.

The club is distinct from the stem, smooth, compressed, generally with a groove on one side; luteous, often becoming brown at the tip or apex.

The stem is equal or slightly enlarged above, stuffed, luteous, minutely scaly.

The spores are oblong, slightly curved, in a double row, 1-1000 to 1-800 inch long. _Peck._

These are found quite frequently among moss, or where an old log has rotted down, on the north hillsides about Chillicothe. The plants were first described by Dr. Peck as "Geoglossum luteum," but afterwards called by Saccardo "Leptoglossum luteum." The plants in Figure 423 were found in August or September, on Ralston's Run, near Chillicothe, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman.

_Spathularia. Pers._

This is a very interesting genus, and one that will attract the attention of any one at first sight. It grows in the form of a spathula, from which it receives its generic name. The spore-body is flattened and grows down on both sides of the stem, tapering downward.