. Elements of biology; a practical text-book correlating botany, zoology, and human physiology. Biology. FLOWERLESS PLANTS 163 it in the same manner as did the hyphse of black mold. The mushroom is a saprophyte. No sexual stage has yet been discovered. Poisonous Mushrooms. — Fungi of the mushroom species are classed by botanists as edible and inedible. The latter are popularly known as toad- stools. It is difficult to give the beginner any stated rules by which to distinguish the inedible from the edible species. A few general rules may be given, however, to the collector: — Do not use mushroo
. Elements of biology; a practical text-book correlating botany, zoology, and human physiology. Biology. FLOWERLESS PLANTS 163 it in the same manner as did the hyphse of black mold. The mushroom is a saprophyte. No sexual stage has yet been discovered. Poisonous Mushrooms. — Fungi of the mushroom species are classed by botanists as edible and inedible. The latter are popularly known as toad- stools. It is difficult to give the beginner any stated rules by which to distinguish the inedible from the edible species. A few general rules may be given, however, to the collector: — Do not use mushrooms that are old or black. Never collect those with swollen bases surrounded with saclike or scaly envelopes. (Such a structure forms the so-called death cup of the deadly Amanita.) Do not collect mushrooms in the early stage known as buttons. Do not use mushrooms with a milky juice. Avoid fungi with a weblike ring around the upper part of the stipe. Be very cautious about trying new varieties. Better learn one or two edible species and stick to them. Beginners may safely eat any of the club or coral fungi found growing on dead trees in damp woods; also young puffballs and the morels, with their characteristically ridged sur- face. Food Value of Mushrooms.— The food value of the edible mushroom has been much over- estimated. Recent experiments seem to show that, although they have a slight food value, they are far from taking the place of ni- trogenous foods, as was formerly believed by scientists. Shelf Fungus. — A near rela- tion to the mushroom is the bracket or tree fungus. This fun- gus is familiar to any one who has been in a forest in this part of the country. An examination of specimens shows that the shelf or bracket is in reality a spore case, which is usually provided with a very con- siderable number of holes, slits, or pores in which the spores are fonned. The spores, when ripe,. Shelf or bracket fungi on dead tree trunk. Photographed by Overton. escape from
Size: 1290px × 1937px
Photo credit: © Paul Fearn / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., boo, bookpublishernewyorkamericanbookcompany, booksubjectbiology
