Figure 385.Figure 385.—Clavaria flava. Natural size.
Figure 385.—Clavaria flava. Natural size.
Flava is fromflavus, yellow. The plant is rather fragile, white and yellow, two to five inches high, the mass of branches from two to five inches wide, the trunk thick, much branched. The branches are round, even, smooth, crowded,nearly parallel, pointing upward, whitish or yellowish, with pale yellow tips of tooth-like points. When the plant is old, the yellow tips are likely to be faded, and the whole plant whitish in color. The flesh and the spores are white, and the taste is agreeable.
I have eaten this species since 1890, and I regard it as very good. It is found in woods and grassy open places. I have found it as early as June and as late as October.
The Golden Clavaria. Edible.
This plant grows from three to four inches high. Its trunk is thick, elastic, and its branches are uniformly a deep golden yellow, often longitudinally wrinkled. The branches straight, regularly forked and round.
The stem is stout but thinner than in C. flava. The spores are yellowish and elliptical. It is found in woods during August and September.
The Red-tipped Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 386.Figure 386.—Clavaria botrytes. One-half natural size.
Figure 386.—Clavaria botrytes. One-half natural size.
Botrytes is from a Greek word meaning a cluster of grapes. This plant differs little from C. flava in size and structure, but it is easily recognized from the red tips of its branches. It is whitish, or yellowish, or pinkish, with its branches red-tipped.
The stem is short, thick, fleshy, whitish, unequal. The branches are often somewhat wrinkled, crowded, repeatedly branched.In older specimens the red tips will be somewhat faded. The spores are white and oblong-elliptical. It is found in woods and open places, during wet weather. I found this plant occasionally near Salem, from July to October, but it is not a common plant in Ohio.
Forked Yellow Clavaria. Edible.
Muscoides means moss-like. This plant is inclined to be tough, though graceful in growth; slender-stemmed, two or three time forked; smooth; base downy, bright yellow. The branchlets are thin, crescent-shape, acute. The spores are white and nearly round. The plant is usually solitary, not branching as much as some other species; quite dry, very smooth, except at the base, which is downy, in color resembling the yolk of an egg. It is frequently found in damp pastures, especially those skirting a wood.
The Amethystine Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 387.Figure 387.—Clavaria amethystina.
Figure 387.—Clavaria amethystina.
Amethystina means amethyst in color. This is a remarkably attractive plant and easily recognized by its color. It is sometimes quite small yet often grows from three to five inches high. The color of the entire plant is violet; it is very much branched or almost simple; branches round, even, fragile, smooth, obtuse. The spores are elliptical, pale-ochraceous, sub-transparent, 10–12×6–7µ.
This plant is quite common around Chillicothe, and it has a wide distribution over the United States. The specimens in Figure 387 were found in Poke Hollow.
The Straight Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 388.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 388.—Clavaria stricta.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 388.—Clavaria stricta.
Stricta is a participle fromstringo, to draw together. The plant is very much branched, pale, dull-yellow, becoming brownish when bruised; the stem somewhat thickened; branches very numerous and forked, straight, even, densely pressed, tips pointed. The spores are dark cinnamon. It is found on the Huntington hills near Chillicothe. Look for it in August and September.
The Cup Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 389.Figure 389.—Clavaria pyxidata. Natural size.
Figure 389.—Clavaria pyxidata. Natural size.
Pyxidata is frompyxis, a small box. This plant is quite fragile, waxy, light-tan in color, with a thin main stem, whitish, smooth, variable in length, branching and rebranching, the branches ending in a cup. The spores are white.
It is found on rotten wood and is readily recognized by the cup-like tips. The specimen in Figure 389 was found near Columbus and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Found from June to October.
The Fir-wood Clavaria.
Figure 390.Figure 390.—Clavaria abietina.
Figure 390.—Clavaria abietina.
Abietina means fir-wood.
This plant grows in dense tufts, very much branched, ochraceous, trunk somewhat thickened, short, clothed with a white down; branches straight, crowded, longitudinally wrinkled when dry, branchlets straight.
The spores are oval and ochraceous.
It can be readily identified by its changing to green when bruised.
It is very common on our wooded hillsides. It is found from August to October.
Figure 391.Figure 391.—Clavaria spinulosa.
Figure 391.—Clavaria spinulosa.
Spinulosa means spiny or full of spines.
The trunk of this plant is rather short and thick, at least one-half to one inch thick, whitish. The branches are elongated, crowded, tense and straight; attenuated, tapering upward; color somewhat cinnamon-brown throughout.
The spores are elliptical, yellowish-brown, 11–13×5µ.
It is usually given as found underpine trees, but I find it about Chillicothe in mixed woods, in which there are no pine trees at all. It is found after frequent rains, from August to October. As an edible, it is fairly good.
Beautiful Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 392.Figure 392.—Clavaria formosa. Three-fourths its natural size.
Figure 392.—Clavaria formosa. Three-fourths its natural size.
Formosa is fromformosus, meaning finely formed.
This plant is two to six inches high, trunk rather thick, often over an inch inthickness; whitish, or yellowish, elastic, the branches numerous, crowded, elongated, divided at the ends into yellow branchlets, which are thin, straight, obtuse or toothed.
The spores are elongated-oval, rough, buff-colored, 16×8µ.
This is an extremely beautiful plant, very tender or brittle. When the plant is quite young, just coming through the ground, the tips of the branches are often of a bright red or pink. This bright color soon fades, leaving the entire plant a light yellow in color.
The plant has a wide distribution, and is found on the ground in the woods, frequently growing in rows. While the handsomest of the Clavarias, it is not the best, and only the tender parts of the plant should be used. It is found from July to October. The specimen in Figure 392 was found in Poke Hollow.
The Crested Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 393.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 393.—Clavaria cristata.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 393.—Clavaria cristata.
Cristata is fromcristatus, crested. This is a smaller plant than the C. flava or C. botrytes. It is usually two to three inches high, white or whitish, the tufts of broad flattened branches, sometimes tinged with a dull pink or creamy-yellow. The branches are numerous, widened and flattened above, deeply cut into several finger-like points, sometimes so numerous as to give it a crested appearance. This peculiar characteristic distinguishes it from C. coralloides. When the plant is old the tips usually turn brown.
Sometimes a form will be found in which the crested appearance is wanting, and in that case the branches terminate in blunt points. The stem is short and inclined to be spongy.
It is found in the woods, in cool, moist, shady places. While it is tougher than some of the other species, if cut fine and well cooked it is very good. I have eaten it for years. It is found from June to October.
The Crowned Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 394.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 394.—Clavaria coronata.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 394.—Clavaria coronata.
Pale yellow, then fawn color; divided immediately from the base and very much branched; the branches divergent and compressed or angulate, the final branchlets truncate-obtuse at apex and there encircled with a crown of minute processes.Morgan.
This plant is found on decayed wood. It is repeatedly branched in twos and forms clusters sometimes several inches in height. It resembles in form C. pyxidata, but it is quite a distinct species. In some localities it is found quite frequently. It is plentiful about Chillicothe. Found from July to October.
White-Tufted Clavaria.
Figure 395.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 395.—Clavaria vermicularis.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 395.—Clavaria vermicularis.
Small, two to three inches high; cæspitose, fragile, white, club-shaped; clubs stuffed, simple, cylindrical, subulate.
Found on lawns, short pastures or in paths in woods. Someone has said they "look like a little bundle of candles." Edible, but too small to gather. June and July.
Flexuous Clavaria. Edible.
Very much branched, tan-colored, then ochraceous; trunk slender, villous, rooting; branches flexuous, having many divisions, branches of the same color, divaricating, fragile.
The spores are creamy-yellow, slightly elliptical. This plant is slightly acrid to the taste and retains a faint trace of acridity even after it is cooked. It is very plentiful in our woods. Found from July to October.
Kunze's Clavaria.
Rather fragile, very much branched from the slender cæspitose base; white; branches elongated, crowded, repeatedly forked, subfastigiate, even, equal; axils compressed. Specimens were found on Cemetery Hill under beech trees, and identified by Dr. Herbst. The spores are yellowish.
Ash-Colored Clavaria. Edible.
Cinerea, pertaining to ashes. This is a small plant, growing in groups, frequently in rows, under beech trees. The color is gray or ashy; it is quite fragile; stem thick, short, very much branched, with the branches thickened, somewhat wrinkled, rather obtuse. Its gray color will distinguish it from the other Clavaria.
Indian-Club Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 396.Figure 396.—Clavaria pistillaris. One-half natural size.
Figure 396.—Clavaria pistillaris. One-half natural size.
Pistillaris is frompistillum, a pestle.
They are simple, large, stuffed, fleshy, everywhere smooth, three to ten inches high, attaining to one inch in thickness; light yellow, ochraceous, brownish, chocolate, club-shaped, ovate-rounded, puckered at the top; flesh white, spongy. The spores are white, 10×5µ.
They are found in the leaf-mold of mixed woods, and you will sometimes find several growing together. They are found from July to frost.
The dark variety, which is frequently vertically wrinkled, is slightly acrid when raw, but this disappears upon cooking. The plant is widely distributed but abundant nowhere in our state. I found it occasionally in the woods near Chillicothe. The plants in Figure 396 were found near Columbus, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman of Ohio State University.
Spindle-Shaped Clavaria. Edible.
Figure 397.Figure 397.—Clavaria fusiformis. Natural size.
Figure 397.—Clavaria fusiformis. Natural size.
Fusiformis is fromfusus, a spindle, andforma, a form.
The plant is yellow, smooth, rather firm, soon hollow, cæspitose; nearly erect, rather brittle, attenuated at each end; clubs somewhat spindle-shaped, simple, toothed, the apex somewhat darker; even, slightly firm, usually with several united at the base.
The spores are pale yellow, globose, 4–5µ.
They are found in woods and pastures. The plants in the figure were in the woods beside an untraveled road, on Ralston's Run.
They strongly resemble C. inæqualis. When found in sufficient quantities they are very tender and have an excellent flavor.
The Unequal Clavaria. Edible.
Inæqualis means unequal.
Somewhat tufted, quite fragile, from one to three inches high, often compressed, angular, often forked, ventricose; yellow, occasionally whitish, sometimes variously cut at the tip. The spores are colorless, elliptical, 9–10×5µ.
One can readily distinguish it from C. fusiformis by the tips, these not being sharp pointed. It is found in clusters in woods and pastures from August to October. As delicious as C. fusiformis.
Figure 398.Figure 398.—Clavaria mucida.
Figure 398.—Clavaria mucida.
Mucida means slimy, so named from the soft and watery condition of the plants.
The plants are quite small, usually simple yet sometimes branched, club-shaped, one-eighth to an inch high, white, sometimes yellowish, frequently pinkish or rose-tinted.
These plants are very small and easily overlooked. It is found on decayed wood. I have found it late in the fall and early in the spring. You can look for it at any time of the year after warm rains or in damp places, on well decayed wood. The specimens in Figure 398 were photographed by Prof. G. D. Smith, Akron, Ohio.
This plant is gelatinous, somewhat cartilaginous when moist, horny when dry, vertical, simple or branched, cæspitose or solitary.
The hymenium is universal; the basidia round and two-lobed, each lobe bearing a single one-spored sterigma. The spores are inclined to be oblong and curved.
This genus resembles Clavaria, but is identified by being somewhat gelatinous and viscid when moist and rather horn-like when dry, but especially by its two-lobed basidia.
Figure 399.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 399.—Calocera cornea.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 399.—Calocera cornea.
This is unbranched, cæspitose, rooting, even, viscid, orange-yellow or pale yellow; clubs short, subulate, connate at the base. The spores are round and oblong, 7–8×5µ.
Found upon stumps and logs, especially upon oak where the timber is cracked, the plants springing from the cracks. When dry they are quite stiff and rigid.
These plants are unbranched, solitary, about one inch high, elongated, base somewhat blunt, even when dry, yellow.
Its habitat is very similar to C. cornea but more scattered. C. striata, Fr., is very similar to C. cornea, but is distinguished by its being solitary, and striate or rugose when dry.
Epiphytal. Stem filiform, flaccid; clubs cylindrical, perfectly distinct from hymenium, sometimes springing from a sclerotium; hymenium thin and waxy.
This is distinguished from Clavaria and Pistillaria by having its stem distinct from the hymenium. It is a small plant resembling, in miniature, Typha, hence its generic name.
Simple; club cylindrical, slender, smooth, white; stem nearly straight, dark red, inclining to be black, springing usually from a blackish and somewhat wrinkled sclerotium. The spores are oblong, 5–6×2–2.5µ.
This plant has a wide distribution, and is found in damp places upon the stems of herbaceous plants.
Simple; club cylindrical, elongated, smooth; whitish, more or less tinged with pink above; one to two-inches high, base minutely strigose, springing from a compressed brownish sclerotium. The spores are nearly round, 5×4µ.
This is a common and beautiful little plant and easily distinguished both by its color and the size and form of its spores. If the collector will watch the dead herbaceous stems in damp places, he will not only find the two just described, but another, differing in color, size, and form of spores, called T. phacorrhiza, Fr. It has a brownish color and its spores are quite oblong, 8–9×4–5µ.
Lachnocladium is from two Greek words meaning a fleece and a branch.
Pileus coriaceous, tough, repeatedly branched; the branches slender or filiform, tomentose. Hymenium amphigenous. Fungi slender and much branched, terrestrial, but sometimes growing on wood.
Figure 400.Figure 400.—Lachnocladium semivestitum.
Figure 400.—Lachnocladium semivestitum.
Pileus, much branched from a slender stem of variable length, expanded at the angles; the branches filiform, straight, somewhat fasciculate, smooth at the tips and paler in color.
This is quite a common specimen on our north hillsides. It is white and quite fragile. Found in damp places in August and September.
Figure 401.Figure 401.—Lachnocladium Micheneri.
Figure 401.—Lachnocladium Micheneri.
Coriaceous, tough, pale or whitish; stem well marked, branching from a point, branches numerous, tips pointed; white tomentum at the base of the stem.
This plant is very abundant here and is found very generally over the United States. It grows on fallen leaves in woods, after a rain, being found from July to October.
Tremellini is fromtremo, to tremble. The whole plant is gelatinous, with the exception, occasionally, of the nucleus. The sporophores are large, simple or divided. Spicules elongated into threads.Berk.
The following genera are included:
This plant is so called because the entire plant is gelatinous, tremulous, and without a definite margin, and also without nipple-like elevations.
Yellowish Tremella. Edible.
This is a small gelatinous cluster, tremulous, convoluted, in wavy folds, pallid, then yellowish, with its lobes crowded and entire. Quite common over the state. It is found on decaying limbs and stumps from July to winter. It dries during absence of rain but revives and becomes tremulous during wet weather. It is called lutescens because of its yellowish color.
Mesenterica is from two Greek words meaning the mesentery. The plant varies in size and form, sometimes quite flat and thin but generally ascending and strongly lobed; plicated, and convoluted; gelatinous but firm; lobes short, smooth, covered with a frost-like bloom by the white spores at maturity. The spores are broadly elliptical. Common in the woods on decaying sticks and branches.
The Whitish Tremella. Edible.
Figure 402.Figure 402.—Tremella albida. Natural size.
Figure 402.—Tremella albida. Natural size.
Albida, whitish. This plant is very common in the woods about Chillicothe, and everywhere in the state where beech, sugar-maple, and hickory prevail.
It is whitish, becoming dingy-brown when dry; expanded, tough, undulated, even, more or less gyrose, pruinose. It breaks the bark and spreads in irregular and scalloped masses; when moist it has a gelatinous consistency, a soft and clammy touch, yielding like a mass of gelatine. Its spores are oblong, obtuse, curved, marked with tear-like spots, almost transparent, 12–14×4–5µ. The specimen represented in Figure 402 was found near Sandusky and photographed by Dr. Kellerman.
Figure 403.Figure 403.—Tremella mycetophila.
Figure 403.—Tremella mycetophila.
Mycetophila is from two Greek words,mycetes, fungi;phila, fond of. The plant is so called because it is found growing upon other fungi.
Often nearly round, somewhat depressed, circling in folds, sometimes in quite large masses about the stems of the plant, as will be seen in Figure 403, tremelloid-fleshy, slightly pruinose, a dirty white or yellowish.
I have found it frequently growing on Collybia drophila, as is the case in Figure 403. Captain McIlvaine speaks in his book of finding this plant parasitic on Marasmius oreades in quite a large mass for this plant. I can verify the statement for I have found it on M. oreades during damp weather in August and September. It has a pleasant taste.
Fimbriata is fromfrimbriæ, a fringe.
It is very soft and gelatinous, olivaceous inclining to black, tufted, two to three inches high, and quite as broad, erect, lobes flaccid, corrugated, cut at the margin, which gives rise to the name of species; spores are nearly pear shaped. Found on dead branches, stumps, and on fence-rails in damp weather. Easily known by its dark color.
Tremellodon means trembling tooth.
These plants are gelatinous, with a cap or pileus; the hymenium covered with acute gelatinous spines, awl-shaped and equal. The basidia are nearly round with four rather stout, elongated sterigmata, spores very nearly round.
Figure 405.Figure 405.—Tremellodon gelatinosum.
Figure 405.—Tremellodon gelatinosum.
Gelatinosum means full of jelly or jelly-like, fromgelatina, jelly.
The pileus is dimidiate, gelatinous, tremelloid, one to three inches broad, rather thick, extended behind into a lateral thick, stem-like base, pileus covered with a greenish-brown bloom, very minutely granular.
The hymenium is watery-gray, covered with hydnum-like teeth, stout, acute, equal, one to two inches long, whitish, soft, inclined to be glaucous. The spores are nearly round, 7–8µ.
These plants are found on pine and fir trunks and on sawdust heaps. They grow in groups and are very variable in form and size but easily determined, being the only tremelloid fungus with true spines. The plants in Figure 405 were photographed by Prof. G. D. Smith of Akron, Ohio. They are edible. Found from September to cold weather.
Gelatinous, marginal, fertile above, barren below. Exidia may be known by its minute nipple-like elevations.
Figure 404.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate L. Figure 404.—Excidia glandulosa.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate L. Figure 404.—Excidia glandulosa.
This plant is called "Witches' Butter." It varies in color, from whitish to brown and deep cinereous, at length blackish; flattened, undulated, much wrinkled above, slightly plicated below; soft at first and when moist, becoming film-like when dry. Found on dead branches of oak.
Hirneola is the diminutive ofhirnea, a jug. Gelatinous, cup-shaped, horny when dry. Hymenium wrinkled, becoming cartilaginous when moistened. The hymenium is in the form of a hard skin which covers the cup-shaped cavities, and which can be peeled off after soaking in water, the interstices are without papillæ and the outer surface is velvety.
The Jew's Ear Hirneola. Edible.
Figure 406.Figure 406.—Hirneola auricula-Judæ.
Figure 406.—Hirneola auricula-Judæ.
Figure 407.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LI. Figure 407.—Hirneola auricula-judae.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LI. Figure 407.—Hirneola auricula-judae.
Auricula-Judæ, the ear of the Jew. The plant is gelatinous; one to four inches across; thin, concave, wavy, flexible when moist, hard when dry; blackish, fuzzy, hairy beneath; when covered with white spores it is cinereous. The hymenium by its corrugations forms depressions such as are found in the human ear. One will not fail to recognize it after seeing it once. It is not common in our woods, yet I have found it on several occasions. It is found on almost any timber but most frequently on the elm and elder. The plant in Figure 406 was found near Chillicothe. Its distribution is general.
Gelatinous, inclining to cartilaginous, free, different on the two sides, variable in form, substipitate. Hymenium confined to one side.
Figure 408.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Figure 408.—Guepinia spathularia. Entire plant a light yellow.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Figure 408.—Guepinia spathularia. Entire plant a light yellow.
Yellow, cartilaginous, especially when dry, spathulate, expanded above, hymenium slightly ribbed, contracted where it issues from a log.
It is quite common on beech and maple logs. I have seen beech logs, somewhat decayed, quite yellow with this interesting plant.
Effused, very thin, maculæform, agglutinate, between wavy or gelatinous.Berk.
Point-Like Hymenula.
Dirty white, quite pallid, gelatinous, punctiform, slightly undulated; consisting of erect simple threads; frequently there is a slight tinge of yellow. The spores are very minute. It looked very much like an undeveloped Peziza when I found it, in fact I thought it P. vulgaris until I had submitted a specimen to Prof. Atkinson.
Ascomycetes is from two Greek words:ascos, a sack;mycetes, a fungus or mushroom. All the fungi which belong to this class develop their spores in small membranous sacs. These asci are crowded together side by side, and with them are slender empty asci called paraphyses. The spores are inclosed in these sacs, usually eight in a sac. They are called sporidia to separate them from the Basidiomycetes. These sacs arise from a naked or inclosed stratum of fructifying cells, forming a hymenium or nucleus.
Hymenium at length more or less exposed, the substance soft. The genera are distinguished from the earth-tongues by the cup-like forms of the spore body, but especially by the character of the spore sacs which open by a small lid, instead of spores. The following are some of the genera:
Morchella is from a Greek word meaning a mushroom. This genus is easily recognized. It may be known by the deeply pitted, and often elongated, naked head, the depressions being usually regular but sometimes resembling mere furrows with wrinkled interspaces. The cap or head varies in form from rounded to ovate or cone shape. They are all marked by deep pits, covering the entire surface, separated by ridges forming a net-work. The spore-sacs are developed in both ridges and depressions. All the species when young are of a buff-yellow tinged with brown. The stems are stout and hollow, white, or whitish in color.
The common name is Morel, and they appear during wet weather early in the spring.
The Common Morel. Edible.
Figure 409.Figure 409.—Morchella esculenta. Two-thirds natural size.
Figure 409.—Morchella esculenta. Two-thirds natural size.
The Common Morel has a cap a little longer than broad, so that it is almost oval in outline. Sometimes it is nearly round but again it is often slightly narrowed in its upper half, though not pointed or cone-like. The pits in its surface are more nearly round than in the other species. In this species the pits are irregularly arranged so that they do not form rows, as will be observed in Figure 409.
It grows from two to four inches high and is known by most people as the Sponge mushroom. It grows in woods and wood borders, especially beside wood streams. Old apple and peach orchards are favorite places for Morels. It makes no difference if the beginner cannot identify the species, as they are all equally good. I have seen collectors have for sale a bushel basketful, in which half a dozen species were represented. They dry very easily and can be kept for winter use. It is said to grow in great profusion over burnt districts. The German peasants were reputed to have burned forest tracts to insure an abundant crop. I find that more people know the Morels than any other mushroom. They are found through April and May, after warm rains.
The Delicious Morel. Edible.
Figure 410.Figure 410.—Morchella deliciosa. Two-thirds natural size.
Figure 410.—Morchella deliciosa. Two-thirds natural size.
This and the preceding species would indicate by their names that they have been held in high esteem for a long time, as Profs. Persoon and Fries, who named them, lived more than a hundred years ago. The Delicious Morel is recognized by the shape of its cap, which is generally cylindrical, sometimes pointed, and slightly curved. The stem is rather short and, like the stem of all Morels, is hollow from the top to the bottom.
It is found associated with other species of Morels, in woods and wood borders, also in old apple and peach orchards. They need to be cooked slowly and long. Coming early in the spring, they are not likely to be infested with worms. The flesh is rather fragile and not very watery. They are easily dried. Found through April and May.
The Conical Morel. Edible.
Figure 411.Photo by C. G. Lloyd.Plate LII. Figure 411.—Morchella esculenta var. conica.
Photo by C. G. Lloyd.
Plate LII. Figure 411.—Morchella esculenta var. conica.
The Conical Morel is very closely related to M. esculenta and M. deliciosa, from which it differs in having the cap longer than it is wide, and more pointed, so that it is conical or oblong-conical. The plant, as a general thing, grows tobe larger than the other species. It is, however, pretty hard to distinguish these three species. The Conical Morel is quite abundant about Chillicothe. I have found Morels especially plentiful about the reservoirs in Mercer County, and in Auglaize, Allen, Harden, Hancock, Wood and Henry Counties. I have known lovers of Morels to go on camping tours in the woods about the reservoirs for the purpose of hunting them, and to bring home large quantities of them.
Figure 412.Figure 412.—Morchella esculenta var. conica. Two-thirds natural size.
Figure 412.—Morchella esculenta var. conica. Two-thirds natural size.
The Narrow-Cap Morel. Edible.
Figure 413.Figure 413.—Morchella angusticeps.
Figure 413.—Morchella angusticeps.
Angusticeps is from two Latin words:angustus, narrow;caput, head. This species and M. conica are so nearly alike that it is very difficult to identify them with any degree of satisfaction. In both species the cap is considerably longer than broad, but in angusticeps the cap is slimmer and more pointed. The pits, as a general thing are longer than in the other species. They are often found in orchards but are also frequently found in low woods under black ash trees. I have found some typical specimens about the reservoirs. The specimens inFigure 413 were collected in Michigan, and photographed by Prof. B. O. Longyear. They appear very early in the spring, even while we are still having frosts.
The Hybrid Morel. Edible.
Figure 414.Figure 414.—Morchella semilibera. One-half natural size.
Figure 414.—Morchella semilibera. One-half natural size.
Semilibera means half free, and it is so called because the cap is bell-shaped and the lower half is free from the stem. The cap is rarely more than one inch long, and is usually much shorter than the stem, as is indicated in Figure 414. The pits on the cap are longer than broad. The stem is white or whitish and somewhat mealy or scurvy, hollow, and often swollen at the base. I found the specimens in Figure 414 about the last of May under elm trees, in James Dunlap's woods. They are quite plentiful there. I do not detect any difference in the flavor of these and other species.
The Two-Spored Morel. Edible.