The Ascomycetes differ from all the other fungi so far dealt with in that the spores develop enclosed in a microscopic envelope or sac—called the ascus. Usually eight spores are produced in each ascus and they are often dispersed violently into the air. Elf-cups and morels are typical Ascomycetes, but the group also includes innumerable minute forms of the microscopic fungi, small discs, minute flask-like structures, some of which are parasitic on leaves and stems of higher plants. In number the large species of Ascomycetes are few when compared with the others and therefore can only be given but a mention in the present account. When collected the Ascomycetes can be distinguished from the Basidiomycetes by simply examining a slice of the spore-producing tissue where the tell-tale asci will be seen (see p. 21). If the fruit-body is placed in a tin when collected and opened in a warm room all the mature asci explode at once producing a cloud of spores visible in the air immediately over the fruit-body.

Aleuria aurantia (Fries) Fuckel Orange-peel fungus or Scarlet elf-cup

Fruit-body: diameter 25-50 mm.

Description:

Fruit-body: cup-shaped then undulating and becoming flattened, irregular, sometimes split and lacking a stem.

Inner surface: bright orange.

Outer surface: whitish and minutely downy.

Flesh: thin and white.

Spores: very long, ellipsoid, ornamented with a coarse network which projects at each end, and 17-24 × 9-11 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate, cylindric ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: Common on bare soil in woods and open spaces, on road verges, between stone sets and on lawns.

Peziza repanda Persoon Elf-cup

Fruit-body: diameter 20-50 mm.

Description: Plate 67.

Fruit-body: cup-shaped with white, crenulate margin, becoming expanded and undulating, and lacking a stem.

Inner surface: light chestnut brown.

Outer surface: whitish or pale fawn and finely scurfy.

Flesh: whitish or fawn, and appearing as if layered.

Spores: very long, ellipsoid, smooth and 15-16 × 9-10 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate, cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: On bare soil in woods, farm-yards, hedgerows, etc.

General Information: There are many different species of Peziza classified on the shape and ornamentation of the spores and colour of the fruit-body—see pp. 216 and 220. P. badia is darker, although similar in other ways; it is found on pathsides in woods and has roughened spores.

Morchella esculenta St Amans Common morel

Cap: width 30-40 mm; length 35-60 mm. Stem: width 15-25 mm; length 50-80 mm.

Description:

Fruit-body: consisting of a head with a honeycomb-like arrangement of narrow ridges surrounding angular and often slightly elongated, shallow pits, on a cylindric or swollen stem.

Cap: brownish grey then reddish brown or ochraceous brown.

Stem: cylindrical or slightly enlarged at the base, brittle, hollow, minutely scurfy and/or furrowed.

Flesh: ochraceous.

Spore-print: cream.

Spores: very long, broadly ellipsoid, pale honey, smooth but for some small granules at each end, and 16-23 × 11-14 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: Infrequent in gardens, on river-banks, sites of bonfires, etc., in spring.

Illustrations: F7^c; LH 41; NB 41³.

Gyromirta esculenta (Persoon) Fries Turban-fungus

Cap: width 30-40 mm; length 35-45 mm. Stem: width 15-25 mm; length 50-80 mm.

Description: Plate 68.

Fruit-body: consisting of a subglobose, more or less lobed, wrinkled and convoluted head on a short stem.

Cap: yellow-brown to reddish brown and becoming hollow or chambered.

Stem: flesh-coloured or creamy grey and powdery.

Flesh: yellow-buff, darker in the cap.

Spores: very long, ellipsoid, usually containing two or more yellowish oil drops and 18-22 × 9-12 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: This fungus is found in the spring, under conifers, but also on railway embankments, river banks, etc. This fungus is also known as the ‘Lorel’ or ‘Elephant’s ears’.

General Information: Mitromorpha semilibera (Fries) LÉville differs from species of Morchella in that the head is for its greater length free from the stalk. It is frequently found in the spring in gardens, tennis courts, etc.

Illustrations: G. esculenta—F 6^d; Hvass 327; LH 39.

Helvella crispa Fries Common white helvella

Cap: width 18-28 mm. Stem: width 8-12 mm; length 40-65 mm.

Description:

Fruit-body: consisting of a saddle-shaped cap on a short stem.

Cap: convoluted towards the centre, two lobed, wavy at the margin, white or cream-coloured.

Stem: cylindric and hollow, white or cream-coloured and unevenly and deeply longitudinally furrowed.

Flesh: thin and pale.

Spores: very long, broadly ellipsoid, with a large central oil drop and 18-20 × 10-13 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: Frequent in damp woods with deciduous trees, from early summer until autumn.

General Information: Plate 68.

Helvella lacunosa Fries, ‘Slate grey Helvella’

is similar in stature but differs in being ash-grey or dark grey.

Leptopodia elastica (St Amans) Boudier

is better placed in the genus Helvella. It differs in having a slender, smooth, cylindric stem and irregularly 2-3 lobed, yellow or tan-coloured cap.

Cyathipodia macropus (Fries) Dennis

is sometimes placed in Helvella. It differs in having a grey cup-shaped cap on a long, slender stem. The spore-bearing tissue in the last species is the inner surface of the cup whilst in Helvella and Leptopodia it is on the outer surface of the saddle-like cap.

Mitrula paludosa Fries, the ‘Bog beacon’

, is a similar fungus growing in spring to early autumn on old leaves and detritus in swamps. It is widespread and has a bright orange head on a white stem—as the common name might suggest. It grows to a height of about 20 mm.

Illustrations: H. crispa—F 6^e; Hvass 331; LH 41. H. lacunosa—F 6^b; Hvass 330; LH 39; NB 153⁴. L. elastica—Hvass 332; LH 39. C. macropus—F 6^a; LH 39.

Rhizina undulata Pine fire fungus

Fruit-body: width 20-60 mm, or several coalescing.

Description: Plate 69.

Fruit-body: chestnut-brown to rust colour with a distinct white or cream margin, fleshy, smooth, concave and thrown up into irregular humps.

Stem: lacking, but undersurface pale, ochraceous, and bearing numerous cylindrical branched, whitish root-like structures, 1-2 mm thick.

Flesh: reddish brown, tough and fibrous.

Spores: very, very long, spindle-shaped with two or more internal droplets, with hyaline extensions at each end, and 22-40 × 8-11 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: Infrequent in pine woods but common at the sites of bonfires in pine woodlands.

Daldinia concentrica (Fries) Cesati & de Notaris Cramp-balls

Fruit-body: diameter 20-40 mm × 20-60 mm.

Description:

Fruit-body: date-brown at first finally black or dark brownish black, tough, minutely pimply over entire surface although at first covered in a powdery dust of asexual spores (conidia).

Stem: lacking.

Flesh: pale grey or buff, concentrically zoned with darker purplish black layers below which are small, black dots.

Spores: very long, black, ellipsoid with one flattened side and 12-17 × 6-9 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: Common on old deciduous wood, particularly of ash and beech.

General Information: These two fungi are unrelated; the first is related to the disc-fungi, like species of Peziza, whilst Daldinia is related to the Dead man’s finger fungus. Rhizina undulata has been shown to be able to attack roots of pine or larch trees and cause death. Daldinia is a pure saprophyte rotting down wood into more simple compounds later to be incorporated into the soil-system. The common name ‘Cramp-balls’ refers to the old belief that if one of the fruit-bodies is carried in the pocket it saves the possessor from cramp and rheumatism. The other common name for the same fungus is ‘King Alfred’s cakes’. The black colour of the fruit-body is like that of charred cakes—resembling the cakes in the legend which King Alfred allowed to burn.

Illustrations: R. undulata—LH 37; NB 111⁶. D. concentrica—F 7^b; LH 47; NB 147⁷.

Xylosphaera polymorpha (MÉrat) Dumortier Dead man’s fingers

Fruit-body: width 10-20 mm; length 30-60 mm.

Description:

Fruit-body: more or less club-shaped, irregularly or evenly lobed at apex, at first light brown due to development of asexually produced spores (conidia) but finally almost black.

Stem: black and short.

Flesh: white, fibrous and tough.

Crust: black, thin, pimply with the protruding tips of the perithecia, and sometimes irregularly furrowed.

Spores: very long, fusiform with one flattened side, black and 20-32 × 5-9 µm in size; eight contained in an elongate cylindrical ascus.

Habitat & Distribution: Common either solitary or in clusters on dead stumps or on buried wood, especially that of beech. This fungus may be found throughout the year.

Xylosphaera hypoxylon Dumortier Stag’s horn fungus

Fruit-body: width 4-8 mm; length 25-60 mm.

Description: Plate 69.

Fruit-body: slender, subcylindrical to strap-shaped and usually forked repeatedly near the tip, white at first due to production of conidia and then black or dark brown and covered in pimples.

Stem: black and hairy.

Spores: very long, bean-shaped, black and 11-14 × 5-6 µm in size; eight in an elongate ascus.

General Information: Another name for X. hypoxylon is ‘Candle-snuff fungus’. Other club-shaped ascomycetes include members of the genus Geoglossum (already mentioned p. 172) and members of the genus Cordyceps. Plate 69.

Cordyceps militaris (St Amans) Link, the ‘Scarlet caterpillar fungus’, produces orange-red or orange, minutely roughened fruit-bodies up to 50 mm high, which grow on larvae and pupae of moths buried in the soil. It is not infrequent late in the autumn in pasture land.

C. ophioglossoides (Fries) Link produces long (up to 100 mm high) yellow stemmed, dark and rough headed fruit-bodies growing on the subterranean fungus Elaphomyces—see p. 244.

C. capitata (Fries) Link also grows on fungi beneath the soil surface but has a rounded head. Leotia lubrica Persoon the ‘Gum-drop fungus’ is similarly coloured but grows on soil under trees and is gelatinous. It grows in autumn and is quite common and in fact more related to the Discomycetes than to Cordyceps.

Illustrations: X. polymorpha—F 7^d; LH 47; NB 147⁶. X. hypoxylon—F 7^e; LH 47; NB 147⁵. C. militaris—LH 48.