ESCULENT FUNGI.

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oval or elliptical, pellucid, seldom containing more than two or three""ell-defined granules ( sporidiola ?). Flocci, few, sometimes ramifying°r sporidiferous ( Quekett ).

Sp. Char. —Only one species known.

Hab. —Floral envelopes, and ovaria of grasses: Europe , America .

Sometimes the sporidia are slightly contracted about their middle.They contain usually one, two, or three, but occasionally as many asIon or twelve, well-defined green granules. The sporidia are, on theaverage, about 1-4000th of an inch long, and 1-6000th of an inchbroad. When placed on glass and moistened with water, they readilygerminate or produce other plants, though in various ways, as sometimesby emitting tubes (b) ; by the development of buds (c); and by the for-mation of septa across their interior (e, f, g, h) [Quekett ). This plantbelongs to the Coniomycetes of Fries, tribe Mucedines; and to the Hypho-% ycetes of Berkeley, tribe Sepedoniei.

By the growth of these fungi upon or within the ovarium of grasses, adiseased condition of the ovarium, involving the whole of the embryo,a nd sometimes partially or wholly the albumen, is produced, called theer got or spur, which will be described hereafter [vide Gramine/e] .

Properties. —The chemical properties and physiological effects ofIbis fungus are at present quite unknown. We have yet to learn, whetherl be peculiar properties of ergoted grasses depend on the fungi, or on themorbid products of the ovarium.

1. Fungi esculenti.—Esculent Fungi.

Fig. 77.

Agaricus campestris.

Fig. 78.

Fig. 79.

Morchella esculenta.

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d e |; ,° u gh a considerable number of species of fungi are edible—in fact several forml) as Cl0 . us articles of food—a small number only is in common use in this country. This>Hi n ar . lsen ) in a great measure, from the difficulty experienced by the public in discri-Spe J»' n g wholesome from poisonous species. Nay, it would appear that the samev ‘ es ls under some circumstances edible, under others deleterious. This, if true, is afe f .[. Proper ground for distrust. “ So strongly did the late Professor L. C. Richardti 0ns “ e prudence of this, that although no one was better acquainted with the distinc-Di„ i °* fungi, he would never eat any, except such as had been raised in gardens inH 0st rootn beds” (Lindley, Nat. Syst. of Bot. 2d edit. p. 422). The edible species inouhi Comino11 use in this country are, 1st. Agaricus campestris , fig. 77 ( common field or•tetch“^ rf mush room), which, in the adult state, is employed in the preparation ofPicljj U P> an d is eaten fresh, either stewed or broiled : the young or button mushroom ise u. 2dly. Morchella esculenta, fig. 78 ( common morel), employed to flavour gra-