  The species bearing the white spores seem to be higher in type than those producing colored spores. Most of the former are firmer, while the black spored specimens soon deliquesce. The white spores are usually oval, sometimes round, and in many cases quite spiny. All white-spored specimens will be found in clean places. Amanita. Pers.Amanita is supposed to be derived from Mount Amanus, an ancient name of a range separating Cilicia from Syria. It is supposed that Galen first brought specimens of this fungus from that region. The genus Amanita has both a volva and veil. The spores are white and the stem is readily separable from the cap. The volva is universal at first, enveloping the young plant, yet distinct and free from the cuticle of the pileus. This genus contains some of the most deadly poisonous mushrooms, although a few are known to be very good. There is a large number of species—about 75 being known, 42 of which have been found in this country—a few being quite common in this state. All the Amanita are terrestrial plants, mostly solitary in their habits, and chiefly found in the woods, or in well wooded grounds. In the button stage it resembles a small egg or puff-ball, as will be seen in Figure 6, page 11, and great care should be taken to distinguish it from the latter, if one is hunting puff-balls to eat; yet the danger is not great, since the volva usually breaks before the plant comes through the ground. Amanita phalloides. Fr.The Deadly Amanita. Phalloides means phallus-like. This plant and its related species are deadly poisonous. For this reason the plant should be carefully studied and thoroughly known by every mushroom hunter. In different localities, and sometimes in the same locality, the plant will appear in very different shades of color. There are also variations in the way in which the volva is ruptured, as well as in the character of the stem. The beginner will imagine he has a new species often, till he becomes thoroughly acquainted with all the idiosyncrasies of this plant. The pileus is smooth, even, viscid when young and moist, frequently adorned The gills are always white, wide, ventricose, rounded next to the stem, and free from it. The stem is smooth, white unless in cases where the cap is dark, then the stem of those plants are apt to be of the same color, tapering upward as in the specimen (Fig. 11); stuffed, then hollow, inclined to discolor when handled. The volva of this species is quite variable and more or less buried in the ground, where careful observation will reveal it. One need never confound this species with the meadow mushroom, for the spores of that are always purple-brown, while a spore-print of this will always reveal white spores. I have seen a slight tint of pink in the gills of the A. phalloides but the spores were always white. Until one knows thoroughly both Lepiota naucina and A. phalloides before eating the former he should always hunt carefully for the remains of a volva and a bulbous base in the soil. This plant is quite conspicuous and inviting in all of its various shades of color. It is found in woods, and along the margin of woods, and sometimes on lawns. It is from four to eight inches high and the pileus from three to five inches broad. There is a personality about the plant that renders it readily recognizable after it has once been learned. Found from August to October. Amanita recutita. Fr. The Fresh-skinned Amanita. Poisonous. Recutita, having a fresh or new skin. Pileus convex, then expanded, dry, smooth, often covered with small scales, fragments of the volva; margin almost even, gray or brownish. The gills forming lines down the stem. The stem stuffed, then hollow, attenuated upward, silky, white, ring distant, edge of volva not free, frequently obliterated. Rather common where there is much pine woods. August to October. This species differs from A. porphyria in ring not being brown or brownish. Amanita virosa. Fr.The Poisonous Amanita. Virosa, full of poison. The pileus is from four to five inches broad; the entire plant white, conical, then expanded; viscid when moist; margin often somewhat lobed, even. The gills are free, crowded. The stem is frequently six inches long, stuffed, round, with a bulbous base, attenuated upward, squamulose, ring near apex, volva large, lax. The spores are subglobose, 8–10µ. This is probably simply a form of A. phalloides. It is found in damp woods. August to October. Amanita muscaria. Linn.The Fly Amanita. Poisonous. Figure 13.—Amanita muscaria.—Linn. Cap reddish or orange, showing scales on the cap and at base of stem. Muscaria, from musca, a fly. The fly Amanita is a very conspicuous and handsome plant. It is so called because infusions of it are used to kill flies. I have frequently seen dead flies on the fully developed caps, where they had sipped of the dew upon the cap, and, like the Lotos-eaters of old, had forgotten to move away. It is a very abundant plant in the woods of Columbiana county, this state. It is also found frequently in many localities about Chillicothe. It is often a very handsome and attractive plant, because of the bright colors of the cap in contrast with the white stem and gills, as well as the white scales on the surface of the cap. These scales seem to behave somewhat differently from those of other species of Amanita. Instead of shrivelling, curling, and falling off they are inclined to adhere firmly to the smooth skin of the pileus, turning brownish, and in the maturely expanded plant appear like scattered drops of mud which have dried upon the pileus, as you will observe in Figure 13. The pileus is three to five inches broad, globose at first, then dumb-bell in shape, convex, then expanded, nearly flat in age; margin in matured plants The gills are pure white, very symmetrical, various in length, the shorter ones terminating under the cap very abruptly, crowded, free, but reaching the stem, decurrent in the form of lines somewhat broader in front, sometimes a slight tinge of yellow will be observed in the gills. The stem is white, often yellowish with age, pithy and often hollow, becoming rough and shaggy, finally scaly, the scales below appearing to merge into the form of an obscure cup, the stem four to six inches long. The veil covers the gills of the young plant and later is seen as a collar-like ring on the stem, soft, lax, deflexed, in old specimens it is often destroyed. The spores are white and broadly elliptical. The history of this plant is as interesting as a novel. Its deadly properties were known to the Greeks and Romans. The pages of history record its undoing and its accessory to crime. Pliny says, alluding to this species, "very conveniently adapted for poisoning." This was undoubtedly the species that Agrippina, the mother of Nero, used to poison her husband, the Emperor Claudius; and the same that Nero used in that famous banquet when all his guests, his tribunes and centurions, and Agrippina herself, fell victims to its poisonous properties. However, it is said this mushroom is habitually eaten by certain people as an intoxicant; indeed, it is used in Kamchatka and Asiatic Russia, generally, where the Amanita drunkard takes the place of the opium fiend and the alcohol bibber in other countries. By reading Colonel George Kennan in his "Tent-life It caused the death of the Czar Alexis of Russia; also Count de Vecchi, with a number of his friends, in Washington in 1896. He was in search of the Orange Amanita and found this, and the consequences were serious. In size, shape, and color of the cap there is similarity, but in other respects the two are very different. They may be contrasted as follows: Orange Amanita, edible.—Cap smooth, gills yellow, stem yellow, wrapper persistent, membranaceous, white. Fly Amanita, poisonous.—Cap warty, gills white, stem white, or slightly yellowish, wrapper soon breaking into fragments or scales, white or sometimes yellowish brown. Found along roadsides, wood margins, and in thin woods. It prefers poor soil, and is more abundant where poplar and hemlock grow. From June to frost. Figure 14.—Amanita muscaria.—Linn. One-half natural size, showing development of the plant. Amanita Frostiana. Pk.Frost's Amanita. Poisonous. Frostiana, named in honor of Charles C. Frost. The pileus is convex, expanded, bright orange or yellow, warty, sometimes smooth, striate on the margin, pileus one to three inches broad. The gills are free, white, or slightly tinged with yellow. The stem is white or yellow, stuffed, bearing a slight, sometimes evanescent, ring, bulbous, at the base, the bulb slightly margined by the volva. The spores globose, 8–10µ in diameter. Peck. Great care should be taken to distinguish this species from A. cÆsarea because of its often yellow stem and gills. I found some beautiful specimens on Cemetery Hill and on Ralston's Run. It is very poisonous and should be carefully avoided, or rather, it should be thoroughly known that it may be avoided. The striations on the margin of its yellow tinge might lead one to mistake it for the Orange Amanita. It is found in shady woods and sometimes in open places where there is underbrush. June to October. Amanita verna. Bull.The Spring Amanita. Poisonous. Verna, pertaining to spring. This species is considered by some only a white variety of Amanita phalloides. The plant is always a pure white. It can only be distinguished from the white form of the A. phalloides by its closer sheathing volva and perhaps a more ovate pileus when young. The pileus is at first ovate, then expanded, somewhat depressed, viscid when The stem is stuffed, with advancing age hollow, equal, floccose, white, ringed, base bulbous, volva closely embracing the stem with its free margin, ring forming a broad collar, reflexed. The spores are globose, 8µ broad. This species is very abundant on the wooded hills in this section of the state. Its pure white color makes it an attractive plant, and it should be carefully learned. I have found it before the middle of June. Amanita magnivelaris. Pk.The Large Veiled Amanita. Poisonous. Magnivelaris is from magnus, large; velum, a veil. The pileus is convex, often nearly plane, with even margin, smooth, slightly viscid when moist, white or yellowish-white. The gills are free, close, white. The stem is long, nearly equal, white, smooth, furnished with a large mebranaceous volva, the bulbous base tapering downward and rooting. The spores are broadly elliptical. This species very closely resembles Amanita verna, from which it can be distinguished by its large, persistent annulus, the elongated downward-tapering bulb of its stem, and, especially, by its elliptical spores. It is found solitary and in the woods. I found several on Ralston's Run under beech trees. Found from July to October. Amanita pellucidula. Ban.Pileus at first campanulate, then expanded, slightly viscid, fleshy in center, attenuated at the margin; color a smooth bright red, deeper at the top, shaded into clear transparent yellow at the margin; glossy, flesh white, unchanging. The gills are ventricose, free, numerous, yellow. The stem is stuffed, ring descending, fugacious. Peck's 44th Report. This species differs from Amanita cÆsarea in having an even margin and a white stem. It is only a form of the cÆsarea. The white stem will attract the attention of the collector. Amanita solitaria. Bull.The Solitary Amanita. Plate II. Figure 19.—Amanita solitaria. Solitary, growing alone. I have found this plant in various parts of the state and have always found them growing alone. In Poke Hollow, where I found the specimens in the illustrations, I found several on the hillside on different occasions, but I have never found them growing in groups. It is quite large in size, white or whitish, very woolly or floccose. Usually the cap, stem, and the gills are covered with a floccose substance which will serve to identify the species. This fluffy exterior adheres readily to your hands or clothing. The cap is sometimes tinged with brown, but the flesh is white and smells quite strong, not unlike chloride of lime. The annulus is frequently torn from the stem and is found adhering to the margin of the cap. The pileus is from three to five inches broad, or more, when fully expanded, at first globose to hemispherical, as will be seen in Figures 17 and 18, convex, or plane, warty, white or whitish, the pointed scales being easily rubbed off, or washed off by heavy rains, these scales varying in size from small granules to quite large conical flakes, and differing in condition and color in different plants. The gills are free, or are not attached by the upper part, the edges are frequently floccose where they are torn from the slight connection with the The stem is four to eight inches high, solid, becoming stuffed when old, bulbous, rooting deep in the soil, very scaly, ventricose sometimes in young plants, white, very mealy. Volva friable. Ring, large, lacerated, usually hanging to the margin of the cap, but in Figure 19 it adheres to the stem. This is a large and beautiful plant in the woods, and easily identified because of its floccose nature and the large bulb at the base of the stem. It is not so warty and the odor is not nearly so strong as the Amanita strobiliformis. It is edible but very great caution should be used to be sure of your species. Found from July to October in woods and roadsides. Amanita radicata. Pk. Figure 20.—Amanita radicata. Two-thirds natural size, showing scaly cap, bulbous stem and root broken off and peculiar veil. Radicata means furnished with a root. The root of the specimen in Figure 20 was broken off in getting it out of the ground. The pileus is subglobose, becoming convex, dry, verrucose, white, margin even, flesh firm, white, odor resembling that of chloride of lime. The gills are close, free, white. The stem is solid, deeply radicating, swollen at the base or bulbous, floccose or mealy at the top, white; veil thin, floccose, or mealy, white, soon lacerated and attached in fragments to the margin of the pileus or evanescent. The spores are broadly elliptic, 7.5–10µ long, 6–7µ broad. Peck. This is quite a large and beautiful plant, very closely related to Amanita strobiliformis, but readily distinguished from it because of its white color, its clearly radiating stem, and small spores. The stem shows to be bulbous and the cap covered with warts. I found the plant frequently in Poke Hollow and on Ralston's Run. July and August. Amanita strobiliformis. Fr.The Fir-cone Amanita. Plate III. Figure 22.—Amanita strobiliformis. Strobiliformis means fir-cone form; so called from the similarity of its undeveloped form to that of the strobile of the pine. The pileus is six to eight inches broad, when young, subglobose, then convex, expanded, nearly plane, with persistent warts, white, ash-color, sometimes yellow on the cap, the margin even and extending beyond the gills; warts hard, angular, pointed, white; flesh white, compact. The gills are free, crowded, rounded, white, becoming yellow. The stem is five to eight inches long, frequently longer, tapering upward, floccosely scaly, bulbous, rooting beyond the bulb; ring large, torn; volva forming concentric rings. The spores are 13–14×8–9µ. This is one of the most stately plants in the woods. It is said to be edible, but the strong pungent odor, like chloride of lime, has deterred me from eating it. This, however, is said to disappear in cooking. It grows to be very large. Dr. Kellerman and I found a specimen in Haynes's Hollow whose stem measured over eleven inches, and cap nine inches. It is found in open woods and wood margins. Great caution should be used before the plant is eaten to know it beyond doubt. Found July to October. Amanita mappa. Fr. The Delicate Amanita. Poisonous. Figure 24.—Amanita mappa. Natural size, showing long smooth stem, cap yellowish-white and ring. Mappa means a napkin, so called from the volva. The pileus is two to three inches broad, convex, then expanded, plane, obtuse or depressed, without separable cuticle; margin nearly even; white or yellowish, usually with patches of the volva dry. The gills are adnexed, close, narrow, shining, white. The stem is two to three inches long, stuffed, then hollow, cylindrical, nearly smooth, bulbous, nearly globose at the base, white, almost equal above the bulb. The volva with its free margin is acute and narrow. The ring is membranaceous, superior, soft, lax, ragged. Its color is quite as variable and its habits are much like A. phalloides, from which it can only be distinguished by its less developed volva, which, instead of being cup-shaped, is little more than a mere rim fringing the bulb. The odor at times is very strong. It is found in open woods and under brush. Label it poisonous. Amanita crenulata. Pk. Crenulata means bearing notches, referring to the crenulate form of the gills, which are very distinct. The pileus is thin, two to two and a half inches broad, broadly ovate, becoming convex, or nearly plane, somewhat striate on the margin, adorned with a few thin whitish floccose warts or with whitish flocculent patches, whitish or grayish, sometimes tinged with yellow. The gills are close, reaching the stem, and sometimes forming decurrent lines upon it, floccose crenulate on the edge, the short ones truncate at the inner extremity, white. The stem is equal, bulbous, floccose mealy above, stuffed or hollow, white, the annulus slight, evanescent. Spores broadly elliptic or subglobose, 7.5–10 long, nearly as broad, usually containing a single large nucleus. Peck, Bull. Tor. Bot. Club. The stem is bulbous at the base but the volva is rarely seen upon it although slight patches are frequently seen on the pileus. The ring is very evanescent and soon disappears. The specimens I have received from Mrs. Blackford look good enough to eat and she speaks highly of the edible qualities of this species. So far as I know this plant is confined to the New England states. Found from September to November. It grows in low damp ground under trees. Amanita cothurnata. Atkinson. The Booted Amanita. Figure 26.—Amanita cothurnata. Slightly reduced from natural size, showing different stages of development. Cothurnata means buskined; from corthunus, a high shoe or buskin worn by actors. This species is easily separated from the other Amanitas. I shall give Prof. Atkinson's description of it in full: "The pileus is fleshy and passes from nearly globose to hemispherical, convex, expanded, and when specimens are very old sometimes the margin is elevated. It is usually white, though specimens are found with a tinge of citron yellow in the center or of tawny yellow in the center of other specimens. The pileus is viscid, strongly so when moist. It is finely striate on the margin, and covered with numerous, white, floccose scales from the upper half of the volva, forming more or less dense patches, which may wash off in heavy rains. The gills are rounded next the stem, and quite remote from it. The edge of the gills is often eroded or frazzly from the torn-out threads with which they were loosely connected to the upper side of the veil in the young or button stage. The spores are globose or nearly so, with a large "nucleus" nearly filling the spore. The stem is cylindrical, even, and expanded below into quite a large oval A. cothurnata resembles in many points A. frostiana and it will afford the collector a very interesting study to note the points of difference. I found the two species growing on Cemetery Hill. Figure 26 is from plants collected in Michigan and photographed by Dr. Fisher. Found in September and October. Amanita rubescens. Fr.The Reddish Amanita. Edible. Figure 27.—Amanita rubescens. One-third natural size, caps a dingy reddish-brown, stains reddish when bruised. Rubescens is from rubesco, to become red. It is so called because of the dingy reddish color of the entire plant, and also because when the plant is handled or bruised it quickly changes to a reddish color. It is often a large bulky plant and rather uninviting. The pileus is four to six inches broad, dingy reddish, often becoming pale flesh color, fleshy, oval to convex, then expanded; sprinkled with small pale warts, unequal, mealy, scattered, white, easily separating; margin even, faintly striate, especially in wet weather; flesh soft, white, becoming red when broken. The gills are white or whitish, free from the stem but reaching it and forming at times decurrent lines upon it, thin, crowded. The stem is four or five inches long, nearly cylindrical, solid, though inclined to be soft within, tapering from the base up, with a bulbous base which often tapers abruptly below, containing reddish scales, color dull red. It has seldom any distinct evidence of a volva at the base but abundant evidence on the cap. Ring large, superior, white, and fragile. The plant is quite variable in color, sometimes becoming almost white with a slight reddish or brownish tint. The strong distinguishing character of the species is the almost entire absence of any remains of the volva at the base of the stem. By this, and by the dull red hues and the bruised portions quickly changing to a reddish color, it is easily distinguished from any of the poisonous Amanitas. According to Cordier it is largely used as an article of food in France. Stevenson and Cooke speak well of it. I noticed the small Bohemian boys gathered it about Salem, Ohio, not having been in this country more than a week and not being able to speak a word of English. It convinced me that it was an article of diet in Bohemia and that our species is similar to theirs. I have found the plants in woods about Bowling Green and Sidney, Ohio. The plants in Figure 27 were collected on Johnson's Island, Sandusky, Ohio, and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. It is found from June to September. Amanita aspera. Fr. Rough Amanita. Aspera means rough. The pileus is convex, then plane; warts minute, somewhat crowded, nearly persistent; margin even, rather thin, increasing in thickness toward the stem; scarcely umbonate, reddish with various tints of livid and gray; flesh rather solid, white, with tints of reddish-brown immediately next to the epidermis. The gills are free, with sometimes a little tooth behind, running down the stem, white, broad in front. The stem is white, squamulose, bulb rugulose, ring superior and entire. The spores are 8×6µ. When the flesh is bruised or eaten by insects it assumes a reddish-brown color, and in this respect it resembles A. rubescens. The odor is strong but the taste is not unpleasant. In woods from June till October. The collector should be sure he knows the plant before he eats it. Amanita cÆsarea. Scop.The Orange Amanita. Edible. Figure 28.—Amanita cÆsarea. From a drawing showing the different stages of the plant. Caps, gills, stem and collar yellow, volva white. The Orange Amanita is a large, attractive, and beautiful plant. I have marked it edible, but no one should eat it unless he is thoroughly acquainted with all the species of the genus Amanita, and then with great caution. It is said to have been CÆsar's favorite mushroom. The pileus is smooth, hemispherical, bell-shaped, convex, and when fully expanded nearly flat, the center somewhat elevated and the margin slightly curved downward; red or orange, fading to yellow on the margin; usually the larger and well-developed specimens have the deeper and richer color, the color being always more marked in the center of the pileus; margin distinctly striate; gills rounded at the stem end and not attached to the stem, yellow, free and straight. The color of the gills of matured plants usually is an index to the color of the spores but it is an exception in this case as the spores are white. The stem and the flabby membranaceous collar that surrounds it toward the top are yellow like the gills, the depth of the color varying more with the size of the plant than is the case with color of the cap. Sometimes in small and inferior plants the color of both stem and gills is nearly white, and if the volva is not distinct it is difficult to distinguish it from the fly mushroom, which is very poisonous. The stem is hollow, with a soft cottony pith in the young plants. In very young plants the edge of the collar is attached to the margin of the cap and conceals the gills, but with the upward growth of the stem and the expansion of the cap the collar separates from the margin and remains attached to the stem, where it hangs down upon it like a ruffle. The expanded cap is usually from three to six inches broad, the stem from four to six inches long and tapering upward. When in the button stage, the plant is ovate; and the white color of the volva, which now entirely surrounds the plant, presents an appearance much like a hen's egg in size, color, and shape. As the parts within develop, the volva ruptures in its upper part, the stem elongates and carries upward the cap, while When the volva first breaks at the apex, it reveals the point of the cap with its beautiful red color and in contrast with the white volva makes quite a pretty plant, but with advancing age the red or orange red fades to a yellow. In drying the specimens the red often entirely disappears. In young, as well as in old plants, the margin is often prominently marked with striations, as will be seen in Figures 28 and 29. The flesh of the plant is white but more or less stained with yellow next to the epidermis and the gills, which are of that color. The plant grows in wet weather from July to October. It grows in thin woods and seems to prefer pine woods and sandy soil. I have found it from the south tier of counties to the north of our state. It is not, however, a common plant in Ohio. From its several names—CÆsar's Agaric, Imperial Mushroom, Cibus Deorum, Kaiserling—one would infer that for ages it had been held in high esteem as an esculent. Too great caution cannot be used in distinguishing it from the very poisonous fly mushroom. Amanita spreta. Pk. Hated Amanita. Poisonous. Spreta, hated. The pileus at first is nearly ovate, slightly umbonate, then convex, smooth, sometimes fragments of the volva adhering, the margin striate, whitish or pale-brown toward and on the umbo, soft, dry, more or less furrowed on the margin. The flesh is white, thin on the edges, and increasing in thickness toward the center. Gills close, white, reaching the stem. The stem is equal, smooth, annulate, stuffed or hollow, whitish, finely striate at the top from the decurrent lines of the gills, not bulbous at the base, the volva rather large and inclined to yellowish color. The spores are elliptical. The plant resembles the dark forms of the Amanitopsis in having the marked striations and the entire and closely fitting volva at the base, but can be easily distinguished by its ring. I found it on Cemetery Hill in company with the Amanitopsis. It does not seem to root as deep in the ground as the Amanitopsis. It is very poisonous and should be carefully studied so that it may be readily recognized and avoided. It is found in open woods from July to September. Amanitopsis. Roze.Amanitopsis is from Aminita and opsis, resembling; so called because it resembles the Amanita. The principal feature wherein the genus differs from the Amanita is the absence of a collar on the stem. Its species are included among the Amanita by many authors. The spores are white. The gills are free from the stem, and it has a universal veil at first completely enveloping the young plant, which soon breaks it, carrying remnants of it on the pileus, where they appear as scattered warts. It differs from the Lepiota in having a volva. Amanitopsis vaginata. Bull.The Sheathed Amanitopsis. Edible. Figure 30.—Amanita vaginata. One-third natural size. Notice a portion of the volva adhering to the cap. Vaginata—from vagina, a sheath. The plant is edible but should be used with very great caution. It is quite variable in color, ranging from white to mouse color, brownish or yellowish. The pileus is ovate at first, bell-shaped, then convex and expanded, thin, quite fragile, smooth, when young with a few fragments of the volva adhering to its surface, deeply and distinctly striate. The gills are free, white, then pallid, ventricose, broadest in front, irregular. The flesh is white, but in the darker forms stained under the easily separating skin. The spores are white and nearly round, 7–10µ. The stem is cylindrical, even or slightly tapering upward, hollow or stuffed, smooth or sprinkled with downy scales, not bulbous at the base. The volva is long, thin, fragile, forming a permanent sheath which is quite soft and readily adheres to the base of the stem. The striations on the margin are deep and distinct, as in the Orange Amanita. The cup is quite regular but it is fragile, easily broken and usually deep in the ground. In some plants a slight umbo is developed at the center. The mushroom-eater wants to distinguish very carefully between this species and Amanita spreta, which is very poisonous. It is found in woods, in open places where there is much vegetable mould, sometimes found in stubble and pastures, especially in meadows under trees. Found from June to November. The plant varies considerably in color, and there are several varieties, separable by means of their color: A. vaginata, var. alba. The whole plant is white. A. vaginata var. fulva. The cap tawny yellow or pale ochraceous. A. vaginata var. livida. The cap leaden brown; gills and stem tinged with smoky brown. Amanitopsis strangulata. Fr. The Gray Amanitopsis. Edible. Strangulata means choked, from the stuffed stem. The pileus is two to four inches broad, soon plane, livid-bay or gray, with patches of the volva, margin striate or grooved. The gills are free, white, close. The stem is stuffed, silky above, scaly below, slightly tapering upwards. The volva soon breaking up, forming several ring-like ridges on the stem. The spores are globose, 10–13µ. This is a synonym for A. ceciliae. B. and Br. and perhaps nothing more than a vigorous growth of Amanitopsis vaginata. It has almost no odor and a sweet taste and cooks deliciously. Found in the woods and in open places from August to October. Lepiota. Fr.Lepiota means a scale. In the Lepiota the gills are typically free from the stem, as in Amanita and Amanitopsis, but they differ in having no superficial or removable warts on the cap, and no sheathing or scaly remains of a volva at the base of the stem. In some species the epidermis of the cap breaks into scales which persistently adhere to the cap, and this feature, indeed, suggests the name of the genus, which is derived from the Latin word lepis, a scale. The stem is hollow or stuffed, its flesh being distinct from the pileus and easily separable from it. There are a number of edible species. Lepiota procera. Scop.The Parasol Mushroom. Edible. Procera means tall. The pileus is thin, strongly umbonate, adorned with brown spot-like scales. The gills are white, sometimes yellowish-white, free, remote from the stem, broad and crowded, ventricose, edge sometimes brownish. The stem is very long, cylindrical, hollow or stuffed, even, very long in proportion to its thickness and is, therefore, suggestive of the specific name, procera. The ring is rather thick and firm, though in mature plants it becomes loosened and movable on the stem. This and the form of the plant suggest the name, parasol. The cap is from three to five inches broad and the stem from five to nine inches high. I found one specimen among fallen timber that was eleven inches tall and whose cap was six inches broad. It has a wide distribution. It is found in all parts of Ohio but is not abundant anywhere. It is a favorite with those who have eaten it, and, indeed, it is a delicious morsel when quickly broiled over coals, seasoned to taste with salt and pepper, butter melted in the gills and served on toast. This mushroom is especially free from grubs and it can be dried for winter use. There is no poisonous species with which one is likely to confound it. The very tall, slender stem with a bulbous base, the very peculiar spotted cap with the prominent dark colored umbo and the movable ring on the stem, are ear-marks sufficient to identify this species. Spores white and elliptical, 14×10µ. Lloyd. It is found in pastures, stubble, and among fallen timber. July to October. I am indebted to C. G. Lloyd for the photograph given here. Lepiota naucina. Fr.Smooth Lepiota. Edible. Pileus soft, smooth, white or smoky-white; gills free, white, slowly changing with age to a dirty pinkish-brown color; stem annulate, slightly thickened at the Cap two to four inches broad; stem two to three inches long. It grows in clean grassy places in lawn, pastures, and along roadsides. I have seen the roadside white with this species around Sidney, Ohio. The specimens represented in figure were found in Chillicothe, August to November. This is one of the best mushrooms, not inferior to the meadow mushroom. It has this advantage over the former that the gills retain their white color and do not pass from a pink to a repulsive black. The halftone and the description ought to make the plant known to the most casual reader. Lepiota americana. Pk. The American Lepiota. Edible. Figure 34.—Lepiota americana. Center of disk red or reddish-brown, stem frequently swollen. Plant turning red when drying. This plant is quite common about Chillicothe, especially upon sawdust piles. It grows both singly and in clusters. The umbonate cap is adorned with reddish or reddish-brown scales except on the center where the color is uniformly reddish or reddish-brown because the surface is not broken up into scales; gills close, free, white, ventricose; stem smooth, enlarged at the base. In some plants the base of the stem is abnormally large; ring white, inclined to be delicate. Wounds and bruises are apt to assume brownish-red hues. Dr. Herbst says: "This is truly an American plant, not being found in any other country. This is the pride of the family. There is nothing more beautiful than a cluster of this fungi. To look over the beautiful scaly pileus is a sight equally as fascinating as a covey of quail." Found in grassy lawns and on old sawdust piles, in common with Pluteus cervinus. It is found almost all over the state. It is quite equal to the Parasol mushroom in flavor. It has a tendency to turn the milk or cream in which it is cooked to a reddish color. It is found from June to October. Mr. Lloyd suggests the name Lepiota Bodhami. It is the same as the European plant L. hÆmatosperma. Bull. Lepiota Morgani. Pk.In Honor of Prof. Morgan. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Plate VII. Figure 35.—Lepiota morgani. Pileus fleshy, soft, at first subglobose, then expanded or even depressed, white, the brownish or yellowish cuticule breaking up into scales on the disk; gills close, lanceolate, remote, white, then green; stem firm, equal or tapering upward, subbulbous, smooth, webby-stuffed, whitish tinged with brown; ring rather large, movable as you will observe in Figure 35. Flesh of both pileus and stem white, changing to a reddish, then to yellowish hue when cut or bruised. Spores ovate or subelliptical, mostly uninucleate, sordid green. 10–13×7–8. Peck. This plant is very abundant about Chillicothe and I found it equally so at Sidney. I have known several families to eat of it, making about half of the children in each family sick. I regard it as a dangerous plant to eat. It grows very large and I have seen it growing in well marked rings a rod in diameter. If you are in doubt whether the plant you have is Morgani or not, let it remain in the basket over night and you will plainly see that the gills are turning green. The gills are white until the spores begin to fall. The plant is found in pastures and sometimes in pasture woods. June to October. Lepiota granulosa. Batsch. Grainy Lepiota. Edible. Granulosa—from granosus, full of grains. Pileus thin, convex or nearly plain, sometimes almost umbonate, rough, with numerous granular scales, often radiately wrinkled, rusty-yellow or reddish-yellow, often growing paler with age. Flesh white or reddish tinged. Gills close, rounded behind and usually slightly adnexed, white. Stem equal or slightly thickened at the base, stuffed or hollow, white above the ring, colored and adorned like the pileus below it. Ring slight and evanescent. Spores elliptical, .00016 to .0002 inch long, .00012 to .00014 inch broad. Plant one to two and one-fifth inches high; pileus one to two and one-fifth inches broad; stem one to three lines thick. Common in woods, copses, and waste places. August to October. "This is a small species with a short stem and granular reddish-yellow pileus, and gills slightly attached to the stem. The annulus is very small and fugacious, being little more than the abrupt termination to the coating of the stem. The species was formerly made to include several varieties which are now regarded as distinct."—Peck's Report. Found in the open woods about Salem, Ohio. The plant is small but quite meaty and of a pleasing quality. Lepiota cristatella. Pk.Pileus thin, convex, subumbonate, minutely mealy, especially on the margin, white disk slightly tinged with pink. Gills close, rounded behind, free, white; stem slender, whitish, hollow; spores subelliptical, .0002 inch long. Mossy places in woods. October.—Peck's Report. No one will fail to recognize the crested Lepiota the moment he sees it. It has many of the ear marks of the Lepiota family. Lepiota granosa. Morg.Granosa means covered with granules. The pileus is convex, obtuse or umbonate, even, radiately rugose-wrinkled, generally even and regular on the margin, reddish-yellow or light bay. The gills are attached to the stem, slightly decurrent, somewhat crowded, whitish, then reddish-yellow. The stem is thickened at the base, tapering toward the cap, flesh of the stem is yellow. The veil is membranous and forms a persistent ring on the stem. It grows on decayed wood. I found it in large quantities, and tried to make it L. granulosa, but I found it fit better L. amianthinus, which it resembles very closely, but it is much larger and its habit is not the same. I was not satisfied with this description and sent the specimens to Prof. Atkinson, who set me right. It is a beautiful plant found on decayed wood in September and October. Lepiota cepÆstipes. Sow.The Onion Stemmed Lepiota. Edible. CepÆstipes is from cepa, an onion and stipes, a stem, Pileus is thin at first ovate, then bell-shaped or expanded, umbonate, soon adorned with numerous minute brownish scales, which are often granular or mealy, folded into lines on the margin, white or yellow, the umbo darker. The gills are thin, close, free, white, becoming dingy with age or drying. The stem is rather long, tapering toward the apex, generally enlarged in the middle or near the base, hollow. The ring is thin and subpersistent. The spores are subelliptical, with a single nucleus, 8–10×5–8µ. The plants often cespitose, two to four inches high. Pileus is one to two inches broad. It is found in rich ground and decomposing vegetable matter. It is also found in graperies and conservatories. Peck. This plant derives its specific name from the resemblance of its stem to that of the seed-stalk of an onion. One form has a yellow or yellowish cap, while the other has a white or fair cap. It seems to delight to grow in well rotted sawdust piles and hot houses. The specimens represented in Figure 37 were collected in Cleveland and photographed by Prof. H. C. Beardslee. Lepiota acutesquamosa. Wein.The Squarrose Lepiota. Edible. Acutesquamosa is from acutus, sharp, and squama, a scale; so called from the many bristling, erect scales on the pileus. The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, convex, obtuse, or broadly umbonate; pale rusty with numerous small pointed scales, which are usually larger and more numerous at the disk. The gills are free, crowded, simple, white or yellowish. The stem is two to three inches or more long; stuffed or hollow, tapering upward slightly from a swollen base; below the ring rough or silky, pruinose above, ring large. The spores are 7–8×4µ. They are found in the woods, in gardens, and frequently in greenhouses. There is a slight difference between the specimens growing in the woods and those in the greenhouse. In the latter the pubescent covering is less dense and the erect scales are more numerous than in the former. In older specimens these scales fall off and leave small scars on the cap where they were attached. The specimens in Figure 38 were gathered in Michigan and were photographed by Dr. Fisher of Detroit. Armillaria. Fr.Armillaria, from armilla, a bracelet—referring to the ring upon the stem. This genus differs from all the foregoing white-spored species in having the gills attached to the stem by their inner extremity. The spores are white and the stem has a collar, though a somewhat evanescent one, but no wrapper at the base of the stem as in the Amanita and Amanitopsis. By the collar the genus differs from the other genera which are to follow. The Amanita and Lepiota have the flesh of the stem and the pileus not continuous, and their stems are, therefore, easily separated from the cap, but in the Armillaria the gills and the pileus are attached to the stem. Armillaria mellea. Vahl.The Honey-Colored Armillaria. Edible. Figure 39.—Armillaria mellea. Two-thirds natural size. Honey colored. Tufted with dark-brown fugitive hairs. Flesh white. Mellea, from melleus, of the color of honey. Cap fleshy, honey colored, or ochraceous, striate on the margin, shaded with darker brown toward the center, having a central boss-like elevation and sometimes a central depression in full grown specimens, tufted with dark-brown fugitive hairs. Color of the cap varies, depending upon climatic conditions and the character of the habitat. Gills distant, The veil varies greatly. It may be membranaceous and thin, or quite thick, or may be wanting entirely, as will be seen in Figure 39; in Figure 40 only a slight trace of the ring can be seen. The two plants grew under very different environment; the last grew in the woods and Figure 39 on a lawn in the city. The species is very common and grows either in thin woods or in cleared lands, on the ground or on decaying wood. Its favorite habit is about stumps. It is either solitary, gregarious, or in dense clusters. It is very abundant about Chillicothe, where I have seen stumps literally surrounded with it. It has a slight acridity while raw, which it seems to lose in cooking. Those who like it may eat it without fear, all varieties being edible. Prof. Peck gives the following varieties:
Armillaria bulbigera. A. & S. Marginate-bulbed Armillaria. Bulbigera is from bulbus, a bulb, and gero, to bear. The pileus is fleshy, three to four inches across, convex, then expanded, obtuse, even, brownish, gray, sometimes reddish, dry, fibrillose near the margin. The gills are notched at the stem, pallid, crowded at first, at length rather distant, becoming slightly colored. The stem is distinctly bulbous, two to three inches long, stuffed, pallid, fibrillose, ring oblique, fugacious. The spores are 7–10×5µ. I have found some very fine specimens in Poke Hollow, near Chillicothe. The stems were short and very bulbous, having hardly any trace of the ring on the older specimens. The caps were obtusely convex and of a grayish rufescent color. This species can readily be distinguished by the distinctly marginate bulb at the base of the stem. The specimens in Figure 41 were found in Poke Hollow, near Chillicothe, October 2d. I have no doubt of their edibility but I have not eaten them. Armillaria nardosmia. Ellis.Spikenard-Smelling Armillaria. Ellis. Figure 42.—Armillaria nardosmia. One-half natural size, showing the veil and incurved margin. Nardosmia is from nardosmius, the odor of nardus or spikenard. The pileus is quite thick, firm and compact, thinner toward the margin, strongly involute when young, grayish white and beautifully variegated with brown spots, like the breast of a pheasant, rather tough, with a separable epidermis, flesh white. The gills are crowded, slightly notched or emarginate, somewhat ventricose, white. The stem is solid, short, fibrous, sheathed by a veil forming a ring more or less evanescent. The spores are nearly round, 6µ in diameter. This is the most beautiful species of the genus, and from its Armillaria appendiculata. Pk.Appendiculata, bearing small appendages. Pileus is broadly convex, glabrous, whitish, often tinged with rust-color or brownish rust-color on the disk. Flesh white or whitish. Gills close, rounded behind, whitish. Stem equal or slightly tapering upward, solid, bulbous, whitish, the veil either membraneous or webby, white, commonly adhering in fragments to the margin of the pileus. Spores subelliptical, 8×5. Pileus two to four inches broad. Stem 1.5–3.5 inches long; 5–10 lines thick. The general appearance of this species is suggestive of Tricholoma album, but the appearance of a veil separates it from that fungus and places it in the genus Armillaria. The veil, however, is often slightly lacerated, or webby, and adherent to the margin of the pileus. Peck's Report. I have found this at Salem and Chillicothe. Tricholoma. Fr.Tricholoma is from two Greek words meaning hair and fringe. This genus is known by its stout, fleshy stem, without any evidence of a ring, and by the gills being attached to the stem and having a notch in their edges near or at the extremity. The veil is absent, or, if present, it is downy and adherent to the margin of the cap. The cap is generally quite fleshy; the stem is homogeneous and confluent with the pileus, central and nearly fleshy, without either ring or volva, and with no distinct bark-like coat. The spores are white or grayish-white. The distinguishing features are the fleshy stem, continuous with the flesh of the pileus, and the sinuate or notched gills. This is quite a universal genus. All the species grow on the ground, so far as I know them. There are many edible species under this genus, there being only two, so far as I know, not edible; and no one is likely to touch those on account of their strong odor. They are T. sulphureum and T. saponaceum. Tricholoma transmutans. Pk. The Changing Tricholoma. Edible. Transmutans means changing, from changes of color in both stem and gills in different stages of the plant. This species has a cap two to four inches broad, viscid or sticky when moist. It is at first tawny-brown, especially with advancing age. The flesh is white and has a decided farinaceous odor and taste. The gills are crowded, rather narrow, sometimes branched, becoming reddish-spotted with age. The stem is equal or slightly tapering upward; bare, or slightly silky-fibrillose; stuffed or hollow; whitish, often marked with reddish stains or becoming reddish-brown toward the base, white within. Spores subglobose, 5µ. The species grows in woods and open places, also in clover pastures, either singly or in tufts. I have seen large tufts of them, and in that case the caps are more or less irregular on account of their crowded condition. I found it frequently about Salem, and this fall, 1905, I found it quite plentiful in a clover pasture near Chillicothe. Found in wet weather from August to September. Tricholoma equestre. Linn.The Knightly Tricholoma. Edible. Figure 43.—Tricholoma equestre. Equestre means belonging to a horseman; so called from its distinguished appearance in the woods. The pileus is three to five inches broad, fleshy, compact, convex, expanded, obtuse, viscid, scaly, margin incurved at first, pale yellowish, with sometimes a slight tinge of green in both cap and gills. Flesh white or tinged with yellow. The gills are free, crowded, rounded behind, yellow. The stem is stout, solid, pale yellow or white, white within. The spores are 7–8×5µ. It differs from T. coryphÆum in having gills entirely yellow, while the edges only of the latter are yellow. It differs from T. sejunctum in the latter having pure white gills and a more slender stem. It is found but occasionally here, and then only a specimen or two. It is an attractive plant and no one would pass it in the woods without admiring it. Found from August to October. Tricholoma sordidum. Fr. Sordidum means dingy, dirty. The pileus is two to three inches broad, rather tough, fleshy, convex, bell-shaped, then depressed, subumbonate, smooth, hygrophanous, margin slightly striate, brownish lilac, then dusky. The gills are rounded, rather crowded, dingy violet then dusky, notched with a decurrent tooth. The stem is colored like the pileus, fibrillose striate, usually slightly curved, stuffed, short, often thickened at the base. The spores are 7–8×3–4, minutely rugulose. This species differs from T. nudum in being smaller, tougher, and often hygrophanous. It is found in richly manured gardens, about manure piles, and in hot-houses. The specimens in Figure 44 were found in a hot-house near Boston, Mass., and sent to me by Mrs. E. Blackford. They are found in September and October. Tricholoma grammopodium. Bull.The Grooved Stem Tricholoma. Edible. Grammopodium is from two Greek words meaning line and foot. The pileus is three to six inches broad, flesh thick at the center, thin at the margin, solid yet tender; brownish, blackish-umber, almost a dingy-lavender when moist, whitish when dry; at first bell-shaped, then convex, sometimes slightly wavy, obtusely umbonate; margin at first inclined to be involute, and extending beyond the gills. The gills are attached to the stem, broadly notched as will be seen in the specimen, closely crowded, quite entire, shorter ones numerous, a few branched, white or whitish. The stem is three to four inches long, thickened at the base, smooth, firm, longitudinally grooved from which it gets its specific name, whitish. The spores are nearly round, 5–6µ. It closely resembles T. fuligineum but can be distinguished by the grooved Tricholoma pÆdidum. Fr.Paedidum means nasty, stinking. The pileus is small, about one and a half inches broad, rather fleshy, tough; convex, then flattened, soon depressed around the conical umbo; fibrillose, becoming smooth; smoky gray, somewhat streaked; moist; margin involute, naked. The gills are adnexed, crowded, narrow, white, then grayish, somewhat sinuate with a slight decurrent tooth. The stem is short, slightly striate, dingy gray, thickened at the base. The spores are elliptical or fusiform, 10–11×5–6µ. The specific name, "nasty" or "stinking," has really no application to the plant. It is said to be very good when cooked. It is found in well manured gardens and fields, or about manure piles. It differs from T. sordidum in having no trace of violet color. T. lixivium differs in the free truncate gills. Tricholoma lixivium. Fr. Lixivium means made into lye; hence, of the color of ashes and water. The pileus is two to three inches broad; flesh thin; convex then plane; umbonate, never depressed; even; smooth; grayish-brown when moist, then umber; margin membranaceous, at length slightly striate, sometimes wavy. The gills are rounded behind and adnexed, free, soft, distant, often crisped, gray. The stem is about two inches long, fibrous, hollow, or stuffed, equal, at first covered with a white down, fragile, gray. The spores are elliptical, 7×4–5µ. The umbonate pileus and the nearly free, broad, gray gills will distinguish it. They are a late grower and are found under pine trees in November. Tricholoma sulphureum. Bull.Sulphury Tricholoma. Poisonous. Sulphureum, sulphur; so called from the general color of the plant. The pileus is one to three inches broad, fleshy, convex, then expanded, plane, slightly umbonate, sometimes depressed, or flexuous and irregular, mar The gills are rather thick, narrowed behind, emarginate or acutely adnate, sulphur-colored. The stem is two to four inches long, somewhat bulbous, sometimes curved, frequently slightly striate; stuffed, often hollow; sulphur-yellow, yellow within; furnished at the base occasionally with many rather strong, yellow, fibrous roots. Odor strong and disagreeable. Flesh thick and yellow. Spores are 9–10×5µ. It grows in mixed woods. I find it frequently where logs have decayed. The specimen in Figure 46 was found in Haynes' Hollow and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Found in October and November. Tricholoma quinquepartitum. Fr. Quinquepartitum means divided into five parts. There is no apparent reason for the name. Fries could not identify LinnÆus' Agaricus quinquepartitus and he attached the name of this species. The pileus is three or four inches broad, slightly fleshy; convex, rather involute, then flattened, somewhat repand; viscid, smooth, even, pale yellowish. The gills are notched at the point of attachment to the stem, broad, white. The stem is three to four inches long, solid, striate or grooved, smooth. The spores are 5–6×3–4. This species differs from T. portentosum in the pileus not being virgate, and from T. fucatum in the smooth, striate or grooved stem. This plant is found in thin woods where logs have decayed. I have not eaten this species but I have no doubt of its edibility. The taste is pleasant. Found in October and November. Tricholoma laterarium. Pk.Laterarium is from later, a brick; so called because there is nearly always a slight tinge of brick red on the disk. The pileus is two to four inches broad, convex, then expanded, sometimes slightly depressed in the center; pruinose, whitish, the disk often tinged with red or brown, the thin margin marked with slight subdistant, short, radiating ridges. The gills are narrow, crowded, white, prolonged in little decurrent lines on the stem. The stem is nearly equal, solid, white. The spores are globose, .00018 inch in diameter. Peck's 26th Rep. This plant is quite widely distributed in the United States. It is found quite frequently in Ohio and is rather abundant on the hillsides about Chillicothe, where it is frequently somewhat bulbous. The tinge of brownish-red on the disk, and the short radiating ridges on the margin of the pileus will serve to identify the plant. It is edible and fairly good. Found on leaf-mold in rather damp woods from July to November. Tricholoma panÆolum. Fr.PanÆolum, all variegated. The pileus is from three to four inches broad, deeply depressed, dusky with a gray bloom, hygrophanous; margin at first inrolled, sometimes wavy or irregular when fully expanded. The gills are quite crowded, adnate, arcuate, white at first, The stem is short, slightly bulbous, tapering upward, solid, smooth, about the same color as the cap. The spores are subglobose, 5–6. I found the specimens in Figure 48 under pine trees, growing on a bed of pine needles, on Cemetery Hill. They were found on the 9th of November. Var. calceolum, Sterb., has the pileus spongy, deformed, thin, soft, expanded, edge incurved, sooty-gray; gills smoky; stem excentric, fusiform, very short. Tricholoma columbetta. Fr.The Dove-Colored Tricholoma. Edible. Columbetta is the diminutive of columba, a dove; so called from the color of the plant. The pileus is from one to four inches broad, fleshy, convex, then expanded; at first smooth, then silky; white, center sometimes a dilute mouse color shading to a white, frequently a tinge of pink will be seen on the margin, which is at first inrolled, tomentose in young plants, sometimes cracked. The gills are notched at the junction of the stem, crowded, thin, white, brittle. The stem is two inches or more long, solid, white, cylindrical, unequal, often compressed, smooth, crooked, silky especially in young plants, bulbous. Spores .00023 by .00018 inch. Flesh white, taste mild. This is a beautiful plant, seeming to be quite free from insects, and will remain sound for several days on your study table. I had no end of trouble with it till Dr. Herbst suggested the species. It is quite plentiful here. Dr. Peck gives quite a number of varieties. Curtis, McIlvaine, Stevenson, and Cooke all speak of its esculent qualities. Found in the woods in September and October. Tricholoma melaleucum. Pers. The Changeable Tricholoma. Melaleucum, black and white; from contrasted colors of the cap and gills. This Tricholoma grows in abundance in northern Ohio. I have found it in the woods near Bowling Green, Ohio. The specimens in the halftone were found near Sandusky, Ohio, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. It is usually found in sandy soil, growing singly in shady woods. The pileus fleshy, thin, from one to three inches broad, convex, rather broadly umbonate, smooth, moist, with variable color, usually pale, nearly white at first, later much darker, sometimes slightly wavy. The gills are notched, adnexed, ventricose, crowded, white. The stem is stuffed, then hollow, elastic, from two to four inches long, somewhat smooth, whitish, sprinkled with a Tricholoma lascivum. Fr.The Tarry Tricholoma. Lascivum, playful, wanton; so called because of its many affinities, none of which are very close. The pileus is fleshy, convex, then expanded, slightly obtuse, somewhat depressed, silky at first, then smooth, even. The gills are notched, adnexed, crowded, white; the stem is solid, equal, rigid, rooting, white, tomentose at the base. Found in the woods, Haynes' Hollow near Chillicothe. September and October. Tricholoma Russula. SchÆff.The Reddish Tricholoma. Edible. Russula is so named because of its likeness in color to some species of the genus Russula. The pileus is three to four inches broad, fleshy, convex, then depressed, viscid, even or dotted with granular scales, red or flesh color, the margin somewhat paler, involute and minutely downy in the young plant. The gills are rounded or slightly decurrent, rather distant, white, often becoming red-spotted with age. The stem is two to three inches long, solid, firm, whitish rosy-red, nearly equal, scaly at the apex. The spores are elliptical, 10×5µ. This plant is quite variable in many of its peculiar characteristics, yet it usually has enough to readily distinguish it. The cap may be flesh-color and the stem rosy-red, the cap may be red and the stem white or whitish with stains of red. During wet weather the caps of all are viscid; when dry, all may be cracked more or less. The stems may not be scaly at the apex, often rosy when young. They are found in the woods solitary, in groups, or frequently in dense clusters. The specimens in Figure 51 were found in Michigan and photographed by Dr. Fischer. I found this plant in Poke Hollow. The gills were quite decurrent. Tricholoma acerbum. Bull.The Bitter Tricholoma. Acerbum means bitter to the taste. The pileus is three to four inches broad, convex to expanded, obtuse, smooth, more or less spotted, margin thin, at first involute, rugose, sulcate, viscid, whitish, often tinged rufous, or yellow, quite bitter to the taste. The gills are notched, crowded, pallid or rufescent, narrow. The stem is solid, rather short, blunt, yellowish, squamulose above or about the apex. The spores are subglobose, 5–6µ. These plants were found growing in a thick bed of moss along with Armillaria nardosmia. They were not perfect plants but I judged them to be T. acerbum from their taste and involute margin. I sent some to Prof. Atkinson, who confirmed my classification. They grow in open woods in October and November. Tricholoma cinerascens. Bull.Cinerascens means becoming the color of ashes. The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, convex to expanded, even, obtuse, smooth, white, then grayish, margin thin. The gills are emarginate, crowded, rather undulate, dingy, reddish often yellowish, easily separating from the pileus. The stem is stuffed, equal, smooth, elastic. They grow in clusters in mixed wood. They are mild to the taste. Tricholoma album. SchÆff.The White Tricholoma. Edible. Album means white. The pileus is two to four inches broad, fleshy, entirely white, convex, then depressed, obtuse, smooth, dry, disc frequently tinged with yellow, margin at first involute, at length repand. The gills are rounded behind, rather crowded, thin, white, broad. The stem is two to four inches long, solid, firm, narrowed upwards, smooth. This plant is quite plentiful in our woods, growing usually in groups. It grows upon the leaf mould and is frequently quite large. It is quite acrid to These plants are quite plentiful on the wooded hillsides about Chillicothe. Those in Figure 52 were found on Ralston's Run and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Tricholoma imbricatum. Fr.The Imbricated Tricholoma. Edible. Imbricatum means covered with tiles, imbreces, referring to the lacerated condition of the cap. This species is very closely related to T. transmutans in size, color and taste. It is, however, easily separated by its dry cap and solid stem. Its cap is reddish-brown or cinnamon-brown, and its surface often presents a somewhat scaly appearance because the epidermis becomes lacerated or torn into small irregular fragments which adhere and seem to overlap like shingles on a roof. The flesh is firm, white, and has a farinaceous taste as well as odor. The gills are white, becoming red or rusty spotted, rather close, and notched. The stem is solid, firm, nearly equal, I found this mushroom near Salem, Ohio, Bowling Green, Ohio, and on Ralston's Run near Chillicothe. Found in mixed woods from September to November. Tricholoma terriferum. Pk.The Earth-bearing Tricholoma. Edible. Terriferum, earth-bearing, alluding to the viscid cap's holding particles of loam and pine needles to it as it breaks through the soil. This is a meaty mushroom, and when properly cleaned makes an appetizing dish. The pileus is convex, irregular, wavy on the margin and rolled inward, smooth, viscid, pale yellow, sometimes whitish, generally covered with loam on account of the sticky surface of the cap, flesh white. The gills are white, thin, close, slightly adnexed. The stem is short, fleshy, solid, equal, mealy, very slightly bulbous at the base. Found near Salem, Ohio, on Hon. J. Thwing Brooks' farm September to October. Tricholoma fumidellum. Pk.The Smoky Tricholoma. Edible. Fumidellum—smoky, because of the clay-colored caps clouded with brown. The pileus is one to two inches broad, convex, then expanded, subumbonate, bare, moist, dingy-white or clay-color clouded with brown, the disk or umbo generally smoky brown. The gills are crowded, subventricose, whitish. The stem is one and a half to two and a half inches long, equal, bare, solid whitish. The spores minute, subglobose, 4–5×4µ. Peck, 44 Rep. The specimens I found grew in a mixed woods in the leaf-mold. They are found only occasionally in our woods in September and October. Tricholoma leucocephalum. Fr.The White-capped Tricholoma. Edible. Leucocephalum is from two Greek words meaning white and head, referring to the white caps. The pileus is one and a half to two inches across, convex, then plane; even, moist, smooth when the silky veil is gone, water-soaked after a rain; flesh thin, tough, smell mealy, taste mild and pleasant. The gills are rounded behind and almost free, crowded, white. The stem is about two inches long, hollow, solid at the base, smooth, cartilaginous, tough, rooting. The spores are 9–10×7–8µ. It differs from T. album in having the odor of new meal strongly marked. It is found in open woods during September and October. Tricholoma fumescens. Pk.Smoky Tricholoma. Edible. Fumescens means growing smoky. Pileus convex or expanded, dry, clothed with a very minute appressed tomentum, whitish. The gills are narrow, crowded, rounded behind, whitish or pale cream color, changing to smoky blue or blackish where bruised. The stem is short, cylindrical, whitish. Spores are oblong-elliptical, 5–6×5µ. Pileus is one inch broad. Stem one to one and a half inches high. Peck, 44th Rep. N. Y. State Bot. The caps are quite a bit larger in the specimens found in Ohio than those described by Dr. Peck. So much so that I was in doubt as to the correct identification. I sent some specimens to Dr. Peck for his determination. The species will be readily identified by the fine crowded gills and the smoky blue or blackish hue they assume when bruised. The caps are frequently wavy, as will be seen in Figure 54. I found the plants in Poke Hollow near Chillicothe, September to November. Tricholoma terreum. Schaeff.The Gray Tricholoma. Edible. Terreum is from terra, the earth; so called from the color. This is quite a variable species in color and size, as well as manner of growth. The pileus is one to three inches broad, dry, fleshy, thin, convex, expanded, nearly plane, often having a central umbo; floccose-scaly, ashy-brown, grayish-brown or mouse-color. The gills are adnexed, subdistant, white, becoming grayish, edges more or less eroded. Spores, 5–6µ. The stem is whitish, fibrillose, equal, paler than the cap, varying from solid to stuffed or hollow, one to three inches high. I find this plant on north hillsides, in beech woods. It is not plentiful. There are several varieties: Var. orirubens. Q. Edge of gills reddish. Var. atrosquamosum. Chev. Pileus gray with small black scales; g. whitish. Var. argyraceum. Bull. Entirely pure white, or pileus grayish. Var. chrysites. Jungh. Pileus tinged yellowish or greenish. The plants in Figure 55 were found in Poke Hollow near Chillicothe. Their time is September to November. Tricholoma saponaceum. Fr.Saponaceum is from sapo, soap, so called from its peculiar odor. The pileus is two to three inches broad, convex, then plane, involute at first as will be seen in Figure 56, smooth, moist in wet weather but not viscid, often cracked into scales or punctate, grayish or livid-brown, often with a tinge of olive, flesh firm, becoming more or less red when cut or wounded. The gills are uncinately emarginate, thin, quite entire, not crowded, white, sometimes tinged with green. Spores subglobose, 5×4µ. The stem is solid, unequal, rooting, smooth, sometimes reticulated with black fibrils or scaly. This species is found quite frequently about Chillicothe. It is quite variable in size and color, but can be readily recognized from its peculiar odor and the flesh's becoming reddish when wounded. It is not poisonous but its odor will prevent any one from eating it. Found in mixed woods from August to November. Tricholoma cartilagineum. Bull. The Cartilaginous Tricholoma. Edible. Cartilagineum means gristly or cartilaginous. The pileus is two to three inches broad, cartilaginous, elastic, fleshy, convex, soon expanded, wavy, as seen in Figure 57, margin incurved, smooth, inclined to be blackish at first, then broken up into small black spots. The gills are slightly notched, adnexed, somewhat crowded, grayish. The stem is one to two inches long, rather firm, stuffed, equal, smooth, white, often striate and mealy. Taste and odor pleasant. A number of my friends ate it because of its inviting taste and odor. It grew in quantities among the clover in our city park during the wet weather of the last of May and the first of June. Tricholoma squarrulosum. Bres.Squarrulosum means full of scales. The pileus is two to three inches broad, convex, then expanded, umbonate, dry; fuscous then lurid tan, center black, with black squamules; edge fibrillose, exceeding gills. The gills are broad, crowded, whitish-gray, reddish when bruised. The stem is of the same color as the pileus, punctato-squamulose. The spores are elliptical, 7–9×4–5µ. This is a beautiful plant, growing in mixed woods among the leaves. The stem is short and apparently the same color as the pileus. The latter is covered with black squamules which give rise to the name of the species. I have succeeded in finding the plants only in October. The specimens in Figure 58 were found in Poke Hollow, near Chillicothe. Tricholoma maculatescens. Pk.Spotted Tricholoma. Maculatescens means growing spotted; so called because when the specimen is dried the cap becomes more or less spotted. The pileus is one and a half to three inches broad, compact, spongy, reddish-brown, convex, then expanded, obtuse, even, slightly viscid when wet, becoming rivulose and brown spotted in drying, flesh whitish, margin inflexed, exceeding the gills. The gills are slightly emarginate, rather narrow, cinereous. The stem is spongy-fleshy, equal, sometimes abruptly narrowed at the base, solid, stout, fibrillose, pallid or whitish. The spores are oblong or subfusiform, pointed at the ends, uninucleate, .0003 inch long, .00016 broad. Peck. I found the plant on several occasions in the month of November, but was unable to fix it satisfactorily until Prof. Morgan helped me out. The specimens in Figure 59 were found on Thanksgiving day in the Morton woods, in Gallia County, Ohio. I had found several specimens about Chillicothe, previous to this. This species seems to be very near T. flavobrunneum, T. graveolens, and T. Schumacheri, but may be distinguished from them by the spotting of the pileus when drying and the peculiar shape of the spores. It is found among the leaves in mixed woods even during freezing weather. It is no doubt edible, but I should try it cautiously for the first time. Tricholoma flavobrunneum. Fr. The Yellow-Brown Tricholoma. Edible. Flavobrunneum is from flavus, yellow; brunneus, brown; so called from the brown caps and yellow flesh. The pileus is three to four or more inches broad, fleshy, conical, then convex, expanded, subumbonate, viscid, brownish-bay, scaly-streaked, flesh yellow, then tinged with red. The gills are pale yellow, emarginate, slightly decurrent, somewhat crowded, and often tinged with red. The stem is three to four inches long, hollow, slightly ventricose, brownish, flesh yellow, at first viscid, sometimes reddish-brown. The spores are 6–7×4–5. Found in mixed woods among leaves. Tricholoma Schumacheri. Fr.Schumacheri in honor of C. F. Schumacher, author of "Plantarum SÆllandiÆ." The pileus is from two to three inches broad, spongy, convex, then plane, obtuse, even, livid gray, moist, edge beyond gills incurved. The gills are narrow, close, pure white, slightly emarginate. The stem is three to four inches long, solid, fibrillosely-striate, white and fleshy. This seems to be a domestic plant, found in greenhouses. Tricholoma grande. Pk.The Large Tricholoma. Edible. Grande, large, showy. This was quite abundant in Haines' Hollow and on Ralston's Run during the wet weather of the fall of 1905. It seems to be very like T. columbetta and is found in the same localities. The pileus is thick, firm, hemispherical, becoming convex, often irregular, dry, scaly, somewhat silky-fibrillose toward the margin, white, the margin at first involute. Flesh grayish-white, taste farinaceous. The gills are close, rounded behind, adnexed, white. The stem is stout, solid, fibrillose, at first tapering upward, then equal or but slightly thickened at the base, pure white. The spores are elliptical, 9–11×6µ. The pileus is four to five inches broad, the stem two to four inches long, and an inch to an inch and a half thick. Peck, 44th Rep. This is a very large and showy plant, growing among leaves after heavy rains. Both this and T. columbetta, as well as a white variety of T. personatum, Tricholoma sejunctum. Sow.The Separating Tricholoma. Edible. Sejunctum means having separated. It refers to the separation of the gills from the stem. Pileus fleshy, convex, then expanded, umbonate, slightly viscid, streaked with innate brown or blackish fibrils, whitish or yellow, sometimes greenish-yellow, flesh white and fragile. The gills are broad, subdistant, rounded behind or notched, white. The stem is solid, stout, often irregular, white. The spores are subglobose, This is quite common about Salem, Ohio; on the old Lake Shore line in Wood County near Bowling Green, Ohio; and I have found it frequently near Chillicothe. When cooked it has a pleasant flavor. It is always an attractive specimen. I find it under beech trees in the woods, September to November. Tricholoma unifactum. Pk.United Tricholoma. Edible. Unifactum means united or made into one, referring to the stems united in one base root or stem. The pileus is fleshy but thin, convex; often irregular, sometimes eccentric from its mode of growth; whitish, flesh whitish, taste mild. The gills are thin, narrow, close, rounded behind, slightly adnexed, sometimes forked near the base, white. The stems are equal or thicker at the base, solid, fibrous, white, united at the base in a large fleshy mass. Spores are white, subglobose, .00016 to .0002 of an inch broad. Peck. I found a beautiful specimen in Poke Hollow, in a beech woods with some oak and chestnut. There was but one cluster growing from a large whitish fleshy mass. There were fifteen caps growing from this fleshy mass. I could not identify species until too late to photograph. Tricholoma albellum. Fr.The Whitish Tricholoma. Edible. The pileus is two to three inches broad, becoming pale-white, passing into gray when dry, fleshy, thick at the disk, thinner at the sides, conical then convex, gibbous when expanded, when in vigor moist on the surface, spotted as with scales, the thin margin naked, flesh soft, floccose, white, unchangeable. The gills are very much attenuated behind, not emarginate, becoming broad in front; very crowded, quite entire, white. The stem is one to two inches long, solid, fleshy-compact, ovate-bulbous (conical to the middle, cylindrical above), fibrillose-striate, white. Spores elliptical, 6–7×4µ. Tricholoma personatum. Fr. The Masked Tricholoma. Edible. Figure 61.—Tricholoma personatum. One-third natural size. Caps usually tinged with lilac or violet. Stems bulbous. Personatum means wearing a mask; so called because of the variety of colors it undergoes. This is a beautiful mushroom, and is excellently flavored; it has a wide range and is frequently found, in great abundance. I have often seen it growing in almost a straight line for over twenty feet, the caps so thoroughly crowded that they had lost their form. When young the cap is convex and quite firm, with the margin minutely downy or adorned with mealy particles, and incurved. In the mature plant it is softer, broadly convex, or nearly plane, with the thin margin spreading and more or less turned upward and wavy. When young it is pale lilac in color, but with advancing age it changes to a tawny or rusty hue, especially in the center. Sometimes the cap is white, whitish or gray, or of a pale violaceous color. The gills are crowded, rounded next to the stem, and nearly free but approaching close to the stem, more narrow toward the margin, with a faint tinge of lilac or violet tint when young, but often white. The stem is short, solid, adorned with very minute fibers, downy or mealy The cap is from one to five inches broad, and the stem from one to three inches high. It grows singly or in groups. It is found in thin woods and thickets. It delights to grow where an old saw mill has stood. The finest specimens of this species that I ever saw grew on a pile of compost of what had been green cobs from the canning factory. They had lain in the pile for about three years and late in November the compost was literally covered with this species, many of whose caps exceeded five inches while the color and figuration of the plants were quite typical. In English books this plant is spoken of as Blewits and in France as Blue-stems, but the stems in this country are inclined to be lilac or violet, and then only in the younger plants. The spores are nearly elliptical and dingy white, but in masses on white paper they have a salmon tint. Its smooth, almost shining, unbroken epidermis and its peculiar peach-blossom tint distinguish it from all other species of the Tricholoma. There is a white variety, very plentiful in our woods, which is illustrated in Figure 62. They are found only in leaf-mould in the woods. September to freezing weather. Tricholoma nudum. Bull. The Naked Tricholoma. Edible. Nudum, naked, bare; from the character of the margin. The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, rather thin, convex, then expanded, slightly depressed; smooth, moist, the whole plant violet at first, changing color, margin involute, thin, naked, often wavy. The gills are narrow, rounded behind, slightly decurrent when the plant becomes depressed, crowded, violet at first, changing to a reddish-brown without any tinge of violet. The stem is two to three inches long, stuffed, elastic, equal, at first violaceous, then becoming pale, more or less mealy. Spores 7×3.5µ I found some very fine specimens among the leaves in the woods in Haynes' Hollow, near Chillicothe. October and November. Tricholoma gambosum. Fr.St. George's Mushroom. Edible. Gambosum, with a swelling of the hoof, gamba. The pileus is three to six inches broad, sometimes even larger; very thick, convex, expanded, depressed, commonly cracked here and there; smooth, suggesting soft kid leather; margin involute at first, pale ochre or yellowish white. The gills are notched, with an adnexed tooth, densely crowded, ventricose, moist, various lengths, yellowish white. The stem is short, solid, flocculose at apex, substance creamy white; swollen slightly at the base. The spores are white. It is called St. George's mushroom in England because it appears about the time of St. George's day, April 23d. It frequently grows in rings or crescents. It has a very strong odor. Its season is May and June. Tricholoma portentosum. Fr.The Strange Tricholoma. Edible. Portentosum means strange or monstrous. Figure 63.—Tricholoma portentosum. The pileus is three to five inches broad, fleshy, convex, then expanded, subumbonate, viscid, sooty, often with purple tinge, frequently unequal and turned up, streaked with dark lines, the thin margin naked, flesh not compact, white, fragile, and mild. The gills are white, very broad, rounded, almost free, distant, often becoming pale-gray or yellowish. The stem is three to six inches long, solid, quite fibrous, sometimes equal, often tapering toward the base, white, stout, striate, villous at base. The spores are subglobose, 4–5×4µ. The plants grow in pine woods and along the margins of mixed woods, frequently by roadsides. It is usually found in October and November. The plants in Figure 63 were found near Waltham, Mass., and were sent to me by Mrs. E. B. Blackford. This is said to even excel T. personatum in edible qualities. Clitocybe. Fr. Clitocybe is from two Greek words, a hillside, or declivity, and a head; so called from the central depression of the pileus. The genus Clitocybe differs from Tricholoma in the character of the gills. They are attached to the stem by the whole width and usually are prolonged down the stem or decurrent. This is the first genus with decurrent gills. The genus has neither a volva nor a ring and the spores are white. The stem is elastic, spongy within, frequently hollow and extremely fibrous, continuous with the pileus. The pileus is generally fleshy, growing thin toward the margin, plane or depressed or funnel-shaped, and with margin incurved. The universal veil, if present at all, is seen only on the margin of the pileus like frost or silky dew. These plants usually grow on the ground and frequently in groups, though a few may be found on decayed wood. The Collybia, Mycena, and Omphalia have cartilaginous stems, while the stem of the Clitocybe is extremely fibrous, and the Tricholoma is distinguished by its notched gills. This genus, because of the variations in its species, will always be puzzling to the beginner, as it is to experts. We may easily decide it is a Clitocybe because of the gills squarely meeting the stem, or decurrent upon it, and its external fibrous stem, but to locate the species is quite a different matter. Clitocybe media. Pk.The Intermediate Clitocybe. Edible. Media is from medius, middle; it is so called because it is intermediate between C. nebularis and C. clavipes. It is not as plentiful as either of the others in our woods. The pileus is grayish-brown or blackish-brown, always darker than C. nebularis. The flesh is white and farinaceous in taste. The gills are rather broad, not crowded, adnate and decurrent, white, with few transverse ridges or veins in the spaces between the gills. The stem is one to two inches long, usually tapering upward, This resembles very closely the two species mentioned above and is hard to separate. I found the specimens in Figure 64 along Ralston's Run where the ground is mossy and damp. Found in September and October. Clitocybe infundibuliformis. Schaeff.The Funnel-Formed Clitocybe. Edible. Infundibuliformis means funnel-shaped. This is a beautiful plant and very abundant in woods after a heavy rain. It grows upon the leaves and especially among pine needles. The pileus is at first convex and umbonate and as the plant advances in age the margin becomes elevated until the plant becomes funnel-shaped. The margin is frequently incurved and finally wavy. The flesh is soft and white. The color of the cap is a pale tan. If the cap is examined carefully it will be seen to be covered with a slight down or silky substance, especially on the margin. The color of the cap is apt to fade so that specimens will be found almost white. The gills are thin, close, white or whitish, and very decurrent. The stem is quite smooth, and generally tapers upward from the base. It is sometimes white or whitish, but more frequently like the cap. Mycelium will usually be found at the base on the leaves, forming a soft white down. I have found this species in several parts of the state. It is frequently found in clusters, when the caps will be irregular on account of the crowded condition. They are very tender and of excellent flavor. Found from August to October. Clitocybe odora. Bull.Sweet-smelling Clitocybe. Edible. Odora means fragrant. This is one of the easiest of the Clitocybes to identify. The collector will very readily recognize it by its olive-green color and its odor. The gills are adnate, rather close, sometimes slightly decurrent, broad, pallid. The stem is one to one and a half inches long, often slightly bulbous at the base. These plants are found from August to October, in the woods, on leaves. They are quite common about Chillicothe after a rain. When cooked by themselves the flavor is a bit strong, but when mixed with other plants not so strong in flavor, they are fine. Clitocybe illudens. Schw.The Deceiving Clitocybe. Not Edible. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Plate X. Figure 67.—Clitocybe illudens. Illudens means deceiving. Pileus of a beautiful yellow, very showy and inviting. Many a basketful has been brought to me to be identified with the hope of their edibility. The cap is convex, umbonate, spreading, depressed, smooth, often irregular from its crowded condition of growth; in older and larger plants the margin of the pileus is wavy. The flesh is thick at the center but thinner toward the margin. In old plants the color is brownish. The gills are decurrent, some much further than others; yellow; not crowded; broad. The stem is solid, long, firm, smooth tapering towards the base, as will be seen by Figure 67, sometimes the stems are very large. The pileus is from four to six inches broad. The stem is six to eight inches high. It occurs in large clusters and the rich saffron color of the entire plant compels our admiration and we are reminded that "not all is gold that glitters." It will be interesting to gather a large cluster to show its phosphorescence and the heat which the plant will generate. You can show the phosphorescence by putting it in a dark room and by placing a thermometer in the cluster you can show the heat. It is frequently called "Jack-o'-lantern." I have known people to eat it without harm, but the chances are that it will make most persons sick. It ought to be good, since it is so abundant and looks so rich. Found from July to October. Clitocybe multiceps. Pk. The Many-Headed Clitocybe. Edible. Multiceps means many heads; so called because many caps are found in one cluster. It is a very common plant around Chillicothe. It has been found within the city limits. It is quite a typical species, too, having all the characteristics of the genus. I have often seen over fifty caps in one cluster. The pileus is white or gray, brownish-gray or buff; smooth, thin at the margin, convex, slightly moist in rainy weather. The gills are white, crowded, narrow at each end, decurrent. The stem is tough, elastic, fleshy, solid, tinged with the same color as the cap. The pileus is one to three inches broad; grows in dense tufts. Spores are white, smooth and globose. When found in June the plants are a shade whiter than in the fall. The fall plants are very much the oyster color. The early plant is a more tender one and better for table use, however, I do not regard it as excellent. They are found in woods, in old pastures by logs and stumps, and in lawns. June to October. Clitocybe clavipes. Pers. Clavipes is from clava, a club, and pes, a foot. The pileus is one to two and a half inches broad, fleshy, rather spongy, convex to expanded, obtuse, even, smooth, gray or brownish, sometimes whitish toward the margin. The gills are decurrent, descending, rather distant, nearly entire, rather broad, white. The stem is two inches long, swollen at the base, attenuated upward, stuffed, spongy, fibrillose, livid sooty. Spores are elliptical, 6–7×4µ. I found specimens on Cemetery Hill underneath pine trees. I sent some to Dr. Herbst and Prof. Atkinson; both pronounced them C. clavipes. They resemble quite closely C. nebularis. I have also found this plant in mixed woods. Edible and fairly good. Clitocybe tornata. Fr. Tornata means turned in a lathe; so called because of its neat and regular form. The pileus is orbicular, plane, somewhat depressed, thin, smooth, shining, white, darker on the disk, very regular. The gills are decurrent adnate, rather crowded, white. The stem is stuffed, firm, slender, smooth, pubescent at the base. The spores are elliptical, 4–6×3–4µ. These are small, very regular, and inodorous plants. They are found in open fields in the grass about elm stumps. July to September. They are edible and cook readily. Clitocybe metachroa. Fr.The Obconic Clitocybe. Edible. Metachroa means changing color. The pileus is one to two and a half inches broad, somewhat fleshy, convex, then plane, depressed, smooth, hygrophanous, brownish-gray, then livid, growing pale. The gills are attached to the stem, crowded, pale gray, slightly decurrent. The stem is one to two inches long, stuffed, then hollow, apex mealy, equal, gray. It differs from C. ditopa in being inodorous and having a thicker and depressed pileus. The caps are quite smooth and are frequently concentrically cracked or wrinkled, much as in Clitopilus noveboracensis. It is found growing on leaves in mixed woods, after a rain, in August and September. When young the margin is incurved but wavy in age. It is quite a hardy plant. Clitocybe adirondackensis. Pk.Adirondackensis, so called because the plant was first found in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The pileus is thin, submembranaceous, funnel-form, with the margin decurved, nearly smooth, hygrophanous, white, the disk often darker. The gills are white, very narrow, scarcely broader than the thickness of the flesh of the pileus, crowded, long, decurrent, subarcuate, some of them forked. The stem is slender, subequal, not hollow, whitish, mycelio-thickened at the base. Peck. The pileus is one to two inches broad and the stem is one to two and a half long. This is quite a pretty mushroom and has the Clitocybe appearance in a marked degree. The long, narrow, decurrent gills, sometimes tinged with yellow, some of them forked, margin of the pileus sometimes wavy, will assist in distinguishing it. I have no doubt of its edibility. Found among leaves in woods after heavy rains. With us it is confined to the wooded hillsides. The specimens in Figure 71 were found in Michigan and photographed by Dr. Fischer. Found in July and August. Clitocybe ochropurpurea. Berk. The Clay-Purple Clitocybe. Edible. Ochropurpurea is from ochra, ocher or clay color; purpureus, purple; it is so called because the caps are clay-color and the gills are purple. The caps are convex, fleshy, quite compact, clay-colored, sometimes tinged with purple around the margin, cuticle easily separating, margin involute, often at first tomentose, old forms often repand or wavy. The gills are purple, sometimes whitish in old specimens from the white spores, broad behind, decurrent, distant. The stem is paler than the cap, often tinted with purple, solid, frequently long and swollen in the middle, fibrous. The spores white or pale yellow. The first time I found this species I never dreamed that it was a Clitocybe. It was especially abundant on our wooded clay banks or hillsides, near Chillicothe, during the wet weather in July and August of 1905. It is a hardy plant and will keep for days. Insects do not seem to work in it readily. When cooked carefully it is rather tender and fairly good. Clitocybe subditopoda. Pk. Subditopoda is so called because it is nearly (sub) like Fries' C. ditopus, which means living in two places, perhaps referring to the stem being sometimes central and sometimes eccentric. The pileus is thin, convex or nearly plane, umbilicate, hygrophanous, grayish-brown, striate on the margin when moist, paler when dry, flesh concolorous, odor and taste farinaceous. The gills are broad, close, adnate, whitish or pale cinereous. The stem is equal, smooth, hollow, colored like the pileus. The spores are elliptical, .0002 to .00025 inch long, .00012 to .00016 broad. Peck. It is found on mossy ground in woods. I have found them under pine trees on Cemetery Hill. Dr. Peck says he separated this species from C. ditopoda because of the "striate margin of the pileus, paler gills, longer stem, and elliptical spores." The plant is edible. September and October. Clitocybe ditopoda. Fr.Ditopoda is from two Greek words, di-totos, living in two places, and pus or poda, foot, having reference to the stem being central at times and again eccentric. The pileus is rather fleshy, convex, then plane, depressed, even, smooth, hygrophanous. The gills are adnate, crowded, thin, dark, cinereous. The stem is hollow, equal, almost naked. This species resembles in appearance C. metachroa but can be separated by the mild taste and farinaceous odor. Its favorite habit is on pine needles. August and September. I found this species in various places about Chillicothe and on Thanksgiving day I found it in a mixed wood in Gallia County, Ohio, along with Hygrophorus laurÆ and Tricholoma maculatescens. I sent some specimens to Dr. Herbst, who pronounced it C. ditopoda. Clitocybe pithyophila. Fr.The Pine-Loving Clitocybe. Figure 73.—Clitocybe pithyophila. Two-thirds natural size. Cap white and showing the pine needles upon which they grow. Pithyophila means pine-loving. This plant is very abundant under pine trees on Cemetery Hill. They grow on the bed of pine needles. The pileus is very variable in size, white, one to two inches broad; fleshy, thin, becoming plane, umbonate, smooth, growing pale, at length irregularly shaped, repand, wavy, sometimes slightly striate. The stem is hollow, terete, then compressed, smooth, equal, even, downy at the base. The gills are adnate, somewhat decurrent, crowded, plane, always white. The spores are 6–7×4µ. The plants in Figure 73 are small, having been found during the cold weather in November. They are said to be good, but I have not eaten them. Clitocybe candicans. Fr.Candicans, whitish or shining white. Pileus is one inch broad, entirely white, somewhat fleshy, convex, then plane, or depressed, even, shining, with regularly deflexed margin. The gills are adnate, crowded, thin, at length decurrent, narrow. The stem is nearly hollow, even, waxy, shining, nearly equal, cartilaginous, smooth, incurved at the base. The spores are broadly elliptical, or subglobose, 5–6×4µ. Found in damp woods on leaves. Clitocybe obbata. Fr. The Beaker-Shaped Clitocybe. Edible. Obbata means shaped like an obba or beaker. The pileus is somewhat membranaceous, umbilicate, then rather deeply depressed, smooth, inclined to be hygrophanous, sooty-brown, margin at length striate. The gills are decurrent, distant, grayish-white, pruinose. The stem is hollow, grayish-brown, smooth, equal, rather tough. I found plants growing on Cemetery Hill under pine trees. I had some trouble to identify the species until Prof. Atkinson helped me out. August to September. Clitocybe gilva. Pers.The Yellow Clitocybe. Edible. Gilva means pale yellow or reddish yellow. The pileus is two to four inches broad, fleshy, compact, soon depressed and wavy, smooth, moist, dingy ocher, flesh same color, sometimes spotted, margin involute. The gills are decurrent, closely crowded, thin, sometimes branched, narrow but broader in the middle, ochraceous yellow. The stem is two to three inches long, solid, smooth, nearly equal, somewhat paler than the cap, and inclined to be villous at the base. The spores are nearly globose, 4–5µ. This plant is sometimes found in mixed woods, but it seems to prefer pine trees. It has a wide distribution, found in the east and south as well as the west. I have found it in several localities in Ohio. Found from July to September. Clitocybe flaccida. Sow.The Limp Clitocybe. Edible. Flaccida means flabby, limp. The pileus is two to three inches broad, rather fleshy, thin, limp, umbilicate, then funnel-shaped, even, smooth, sometimes cracking into minute scales, tawny or rust-colored, margin broadly reflexed. The gills are strongly decurrent, yellowish, to whitish, close, arcuate. The stem is tufted, unequal, rusty, somewhat wavy, tough, naked, villous at the base. The spores are globose or nearly so, 4–5×3–4µ. This resembles the C. infundibuliformis very closely, both in its appearance and its habit. It grows among leaves in mixed woods during wet weather. It is gregarious, often many stems growing from one mass of mycelium. The plants in Figure 74 were collected in Ackerman's woods near Columbus, Ohio, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. They are found on all the hillsides about Chillicothe. Found from July to late in October. Clitocybe monadelpha. Morg.The One-Brotherhood Clitocybe. Edible. Monadelpha is from monos, one and adelphos, brother. Prof. Morgan of Preston, Ohio, gives the following description of the One-Brotherhood Clitocybe in the Mycological Flora of the Miama Valley: "Densely cespitose. Pileus fleshy, convex, then depressed, at first glabrous, then scaly, honey-colored, varying to pallid-brown or reddish. The stem elongated, solid, crooked, twisted, fibrous, tapering at the base, pallid-brownish or flesh color. Spores white, a little irregular, .0055MM." It might be easily taken for the ringless Armillaria mellea, but the decidedly decurrent gills and the solid stem ought to set any one right. In very wet weather it soon becomes water-soaked, and is then not good. It is found in woods about stumps, and in newly cleared fields about roots or stumps. From spring to October. See Plate XII, Figure 75, for an illustration. Bresadola of Europe has determined this to be the same as that described by Scoparius in 1772 as Agaricus (Clitocybe) tabescens. I have preferred to retain the name given by Prof. Morgan. Clitocybe dealbata. Sow.The White Clytocybe. Edible. Dealbata means whitewashed; so called from its white color. The pileus is about one inch broad, rather fleshy, convex, then plane, upturned and wavy, smooth, shining, even. The gills are crowded, white, attached to the stem. The stem is fibrous, thin, equal, stuffed. Spores are 4–5×2.5µ. This is a beautiful plant and widely distributed. Found among leaves and sometimes in the grass. It makes a delicious dish. Clitocybe phyllophila. Fr.The Leaf-Loving Clitocybe. Edible. Phyllophila means leaf and fond of. It is so called because it is found on leaves in the woods during wet weather. The pileus is one and a half to three inches in diameter, whitish-tan, rather fleshy, convex, then plane, at length depressed, even, dry, noticeably white around the margin. The gills are attached to the stem, decurrent especially after the cap is depressed, somewhat distant, rather broad, white, becoming yellowish or ocher tinged, thin. The stem is two to three inches long, stuffed, becoming hollow, silky, rather tough, whitish. The spores are elliptical., 6×4µ. The whitish-tan cap with its white, silvery zone near the margin will serve to identify the species. August to October. Clitocybe cyathiformis. Bull. The Cup-Shaped Clitocybe. Edible. Cyathiformis is from cyathus, a drinking cup; formis, form or shape. The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, rather thin; at first depressed, then funnel-shaped; even, smooth, moist, hygrophanous; the margin involute, sooty or dark brown when moist, becoming pale when dry, often dingy ochraceous or tan-color, inclined to be wavy. The gills are attached to the stem, decurrent from the depressed form of the pileus, united behind, somewhat dingy, sparingly branched. The stem is stuffed, elastic, tapering upward, fibrillose, base villous. The spores are elliptical, 9×6µ. This plant has a wide distribution and is found in woods or wood margins. I found some very fine specimens on Ralston's Run, near Chillicothe. September to October. Clitocybe laccata. Scop.Waxy Clitocybe. Edible. Figure 76.—Clitocybe laccata. Two-thirds natural size. Caps violet or reddish-brown. Gills broad and distant. Laccata means made of shellac or sealing-wax. This is a very common, variable plant. Sometimes of a bright amethyst but usually of a reddish brown. The pileus is from one to two inches broad, almost membranaceous, convex, then plane, depressed in the center, downy with short hairs, violet or reddish-brown. The gills are broad, distant, attached to the stem The stem is tough, fibrous, stuffed, crooked, white-villous at the base, rather long and slender, dull reddish yellow or reddish-flesh-colored, sometimes pallid or dull ochraceous, slightly striate; when the season is wet it is often watery. This waxy Clitocybe has a wide range and is frequently very abundant. It is found through almost the entire season. It will grow almost anywhere, in woods, pastures, and lawns, and sometimes on naked ground. The plants in Figure 76 were found in tall grass in a grove in August. Those in Figure 77 were found the last of November on Cemetery Hill, under pine trees. Figure 77.—Clitocybe laccata. Two-thirds natural size. Specimens growing late in the fall. Prof. Peck gives the following varieties:
Collybia. Fr. Collybia is from a Greek word meaning a small coin or a small round cake. The ring and volva are both wanting in this genus. The pileus is fleshy, generally thin, and when the plant is young the margin of the pileus is incurved. The gills are adnate or nearly free, soft, membranaceous. Many species of Collybia will revive to some extent when moistened, but they are not coriaceous. The stem differs in substance from the pileus, cartilaginous or has a cartilaginous cuticle, while the inside is stuffed or hollow. This is quite a large genus, containing fifty-four American species. Collybia radicata. Rehl. The Rooting Collybia. Edible. This, in its season, is one of the most common mushrooms in the woods. It grows in the ground, frequently around old stumps, sometimes on lawns. Those in Figure 78 were found in the woods on the ground. One plant, as will be seen by the square, is a foot high. It is easily recognized by its long root and flat cap. The root extends into the ground and will frequently break before pulling up. This root gives name to the species. The pileus is fleshy, rather thin, convex, then plane, often with margin upturned in old plants as in Figure 78, and frequently wrinkled at and toward the umbo, smooth, viscid when moist. The color is quite variable, from almost white to gray, grayish-brown; flesh thin, very white, elastic. The gills are usually snow white, broad, rather distant, broad in the middle, joined to the stem by the upper angle, unequal. The stem is frequently long, of the same color as the cap, yet sometimes paler; smooth, firm, sometimes grooved, often twisted, tapering upward, ending in a long tapering root, deeply planted in the soil. The spores are elliptical, 15×10µ. They grow singly, but generally have many neighbors. They are found in open woods and around old stumps. I seldom have any trouble in getting enough for a large family and some for my neighbor, who may not know what to get but does know how to appreciate them. Found from June to October and from the New England states through the middle west. They differ from C. hariolarum in the densely tufted habit of the latter. Colybia ingrata. Schum.Ingrata means unpleasant; from its somewhat unpleasant odor. The pileus is one to two inches broad, globose, bell-shaped, then convex, umbonate, even, brownish-tan. The gills are free, narrow, crowded, pallid. The stem is twisted, subcompressed, sprinkled with a mealy tomentum above, umber below, hollow, rather long, unequal. I found this plant quite abundant on Cemetery Hill, growing under pine trees, from the mass of pine needles. Found in July and August. Collybia platyphylla. Fr. Broad-gilled Collybia. Edible. Platyphylla is from two Greek words meaning broad and leaf, referring to the broad gills. It is a much larger and stouter plant than Collybia radicata. It is found in new ground on open pastures about stumps, also in woods, on rotten logs and about stumps. The pileus is three to four inches broad, at first convex, then expanded, plane, margin often upturned, smoky brown to grayish, streaked with dark fibrils, watery when moist, flesh white. The gills are adnexed, very broad, obliquely notched behind, distant, soft, white, in age more or less broken or cracked. The stem is short, thick, often striated, whitish, soft, stuffed, sometimes slightly powdered at the apex, root blunt. The spores are white and elliptical. It is easily distinguished from C. radicata by the blunt base of the root and the very broad gills. Like C. radicata they need to be cooked well or there is a slightly bitter taste to them. They are found from June to October. Collybia dryophila. Bull. Oak-loving Collybia. Edible. Dryophila is from two Greek words, oak and fond of. The pileus is bay-brown, bay red, or tan color, one or two inches broad, convex, plane, sometimes depressed and the margin elevated, flesh thin and white. The gills are free with a decurrent tooth, crowded, narrow, white, or whitish, rarely yellow. The stem is cartilaginous, smooth, hollow, yellow, or yellowish, equal, sometimes thickened at the base as will be seen in Figure 80. The color of the stem Collybia zonata. Pk.The Zoned Collybia. Edible. Zonata, zoned; referring to the concentric zones on the cap which show faintly in Figure 81. The pileus is about one inch broad, sometimes more, sometimes less; rather fleshy, thin, convex, when expanded nearly plane, slightly umbilicate, covered with fibrous down; tawny or ochraceous tawny, sometimes marked with faintly darker zones; even in the very young specimens the umbilicate condition is usually present. The gills are narrow, close, free, white or nearly white, usually with a pulverulent edge. The stem is one to three inches long, rather firm, equal, hollow, covered like the cap with a fibrous down, tawny, or brownish tawny. The spores are broadly elliptical, .0002 inch long, .00016 broad. This species closely resembles C. stipitaria, but is easily distinguished from it because of its habits of growth, different gills, and shorter spores. It is found on or near decaying wood in mixed woods. I have found it frequently on Ralston's Run but always only a few specimens in one place. It does not grow in a cespitose manner with us. Found in August. Collybia maculata. Alb. & Schw.The Spotted Collybia. Edible. Figure 82.—Collybia maculata. Two-thirds natural size. Reddish-brown spots on caps and stems. Maculata, spotted; referring to the reddish spots or stains both on the cap and on the stem. The pileus is two to three inches broad, at first white, then spotted (as well as the stem) with reddish brown spots or stains, fleshy, very firm, convex, sometimes nearly plane, even, smooth, truly carnose, compact, at first hemispherical and with an involute margin, often repand. The gills are somewhat crowded, narrow, adnexed, often free, linear, white or whitish, often brownish cream, gills not reaching to the margin of the cap. The stem is three to four inches long, nearly solid, more or less grooved, stout, Var. immaculata, Cooke, differs from the typical form in not changing color or being spotted, and in the broader and serrated gills. This variety delights in fir woods. September to November. Collybia atrata. Fr.Charcoal Collybia. Figure 83.—Collybia atrata. One-half natural size. Caps dull blackish-brown. Gills grayish-white. Atrata, clothed in black; from the pileus being very black when young. The pileus is from one to two inches broad, at first regular and convex, when expanded becoming, as a rule, irregular in shape, sometimes partially lobed or wavy; in young plants the cap is a dull blackish brown, faded in older specimens to a lighter brown, umbilicate, smooth, shining. The gills are adnate, slightly crowded, with many short ones, rather broad, grayish-white. The stem is smooth, equal, even, hollow, or stuffed, tough, short, brown within and without, but lighter than the cap. The plant grows in pastures where stumps have been burned out, always, so far as I have noticed, on burned ground. Spores .00023×.00016. Collybia ambusta. Fr. The Scorched Collybia. Ambusta, burned or scorched, from its being found on burned soil. The pileus is nearly membranaceous, convex, then expanded, nearly plane, papillate, striatulate, smooth, livid brown, hygrophanous, umbonate. The gills are adnate, crowded, lanceolate, white, then of a smoky tinge. The stem is somewhat stuffed, tough, short, livid. Spores 5–6×3–4. This species differs from C. atrata in having an umbonate pileus. Collybia confluens. Pers.The Tufted Collybia. Edible. Figure 84.—Collybia confluens. Natural size, showing reddish stems. Confluens means growing together; so called from the stems often being confluent or adhering to each other. The pileus is from an inch to an inch and a quarter broad, reddish-brown, The gills are free and in old plants remote from the stem, rather crowded, narrow, flesh colored, then whitish. The stem is two to three inches long, hollow, pale red, sprinkled with a mealy pubescence. The spores are slightly ovate, inclined to be pointed at one end, 5–6×3–4µ. These plants grow among leaves in the woods after warm rains, growing in tufts, sometimes in rows or lines. They are not as large as C. dryophylla, the stem is quite different and the plants seem to have the ability to revive like a Marasmius. They can be dried for winter use. Collybia myriadophylla. Pk.Many-leaved Collybia. Myriadophylla is from two Greek words, meaning many leaves. It has reference to its numerous gills. The pileus is very thin, broadly convex, then plane or centrally depressed, sometimes umbillicate, hygrophanous, brown when moist, ochraceous or tan-color when dry. The gills are very numerous, narrow, linear, crowded, rounded behind or slightly adnexed, brownish-lilac. The stem is slender, but commonly short, equal, glabrous, stuffed or hollow, reddish-brown. The spores are minute, broadly elliptical, .00012 to .00016-inch long, .0008-inch broad. Peck, 49th Rep. I found only a few specimens in Haynes's Hollow. The caps were about an inch broad and the stems were an inch and a half long. It will be easily identified if one has the description of it, because of its peculiarly colored gills. I found my plants on a decayed stump in August. In the dried specimens the gills assume a more brownish-red hue, as in the next following species. Collybia colorea. Pk. They sometimes appear to have a glaucous reflection, probably from the abundance of the spores. The stem is more or less radicated and often slightly floccose-pruinose toward the base. The basidia are very short, being only .0006 to .0008-inch long. Collybia atratoides. Pk. The Blackish Collybia. Atratoides means like the species atrata, which means black; so called because the caps when fresh are quite black. Atratoides has a different habitat and is not so dark. The pileus is thin, convex, subumbilicate, glabrous, hygrophanous, blackish-brown when moist, grayish-brown and shining when dry. The gills are rather broad, subdistant, adnate, grayish-white, often transversely veiny above and venosely connected. The stem is equal, hollow, smooth, grayish-brown with a whitish mycelioid tomentum at the base. The spores are nearly globose, about .0002-inch broad. The pileus is six to ten lines broad and the stem is about one inch long. Peck. The plant is gregarious, growing on decayed wood and on mossy sticks in mixed woods. The margin of the cap is often serrated, as you will see in Figure 86, yet this does not seem to be a constant characteristic of the species. It is closely related to C. atrata, but its habitat and the color of its pileus and gills differ very greatly. I have not eaten it, but have no doubt of its good qualities. Found in August and September. Quite common in all our woods. Collybia acervata. Fr. The Tufted Collybia. Edible. Acervata, from acervus, a mass, a heap. Pileus fleshy but thin, convex, or nearly plane, obtuse, glabrous, hygrophanous, pale, tan-color or dingy pinkish-red, and commonly striate on the margin when moist, paler or whitish when dry. Gills narrow, close, adnexed or free, whitish or tinged with flesh-color. The stem slender, rigid, hollow, glabrous, reddish, reddish-brown or brown, often whitish at the top, especially when young, commonly with a matted down at the base. Spores elliptical, 6×3–4µ. The plant is cespitose. Pileus one-half inch broad. Stem two to three inches long. Peck's 49th Report. This is a beautiful plant when growing in large tufts. The entire plant is tender and has a delicate flavor. I found the plant figured here on the Frankfort pike where an old saw mill had formerly stood. It grew abundantly there, along with Lepiota Americana and Pluteus cervinus. Found from August to October. Collybia velutipes. Curtis. The Velvet-foot Collybia. Edible. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Plate XV. Figure 88.—Collybia velutipes. Velutipes, from vellum, velvet and pes, foot. Pileus from one to four inches broad, tawny yellow, fleshy at the center, thick on the margin, quite sticky or viscid when moist, margin slightly striate, sometimes inclined to be excentric. Gills rounded behind, broad, slightly adnexed, tan or pale-yellow, somewhat distant. The stem is cartilaginous, tough, hollow, umber, then becoming blackish, with a velvety coat. Spores are elliptical, 7×3–3.5µ. It grows on stumps, logs and roots, in the ground. It grows almost the year round. I have gathered it to eat in February. Plate XV gives a very correct notion of the plant. It is most plentiful in September, October and November, yet found throughout the winter months. Mycena. Fr.Mycena is from a Greek word, meaning a fungus. The plants of this genus are small and rather fragile. Pileus more or less membranaceous, generally striate, with the margin almost straight, and at first pressed to the stem, never involute, expanded, campanulate, and generally umbonate. The stem is externally cartilaginous, hollow, not stuffed when young, confluent with the cap. Gills never decurrent, though some species have a broad sinus near the stem. Most species are small and inodorous, but some which have a strong alkaline odor are probably not good. Some are known to be edible. A few species exude a colored or watery juice when bruised. The Mycena resembles the Collybia, but never has the incurved margin of the latter. The plants are usually smaller, and the caps are more or less conical. This genus might be mistaken for Omphalia, in which the gills are but slightly decurrent, but in Omphalia the cap is umbilicate while in Mycena it is umbonate. Their being so small makes the determination of species somewhat difficult. Some have characteristic odors which greatly assist in establishing their identity. Mycena galericulata. Scop. The Small Peaked-cap Mycena. Edible. Galericulata, a small peaked-cap. The pileus is campanulate, whitish or grayish, center of the disk darker and lighter toward the margin, smooth, dry, margin striated nearly to the peak of the umbo, sometimes slightly depressed. The gills are adnate with a tooth, connected by veins, whitish, then gray, often flesh color, rather distant, ventricose, edge sometimes entire, sometimes serrate. The stem is rigid, cartilaginous, hollow, tough, straight, polished, smooth, hairy at the base. It grows on logs and stumps in the woods. It is very common and sometimes found in abundance. The plants are frequently densely clustered, the numerous stems matted together by a soft hairy down at the base. There are many forms of this plant. Found from September to frost. The plants in Figure 89 were photographed by Prof. G. D. Smith, Akron, O. Mycena rugosa. Fr.The Wrinkled Mycena. Edible. Rugosa means wrinkled. The pileus is somewhat fleshy, darker and smaller than the galericulata, quite tough, bell-shaped, then expanded, with unequal elevated wrinkles, always dry, striate on the margin. The gills are adnate, with a tooth, united behind, connected by veins, somewhat distant, whitish, then gray, edge sometimes entire, sometimes serrate. The stem is short, tough, rooted with a hairy base, strongly cartilaginous, hollow, rigid, smooth. It is found on stumps or decayed logs during September and October. Mycena prolifera. Sow.The Proliferous Mycena. Edible. Prolifera is from proles, offspring, and fero, to bear. The pileus is somewhat fleshy, campanulate, then expanded, dry, with a broad, dark umbo; margin at length sulcate or furrowed and sometimes split, pale-yellowish or becoming brownish-tan. The gills are adnexed, subdistant, white, then pallid. The stem is firm, rigid, smooth, shining, minutely striate, rooting. Fries. This species, as well as M. galericulata, is closely related to M. cohÆrens. I have found it in dense tufts or clusters, sometimes on lawns, on the bare ground, and in the woods. It is one of the plants in which the stems may be cooked with the caps. Mycena capillaris. Schum.Capillaris means hair-like. This is a very small but beautiful white plant. The pileus is bell-shaped, at length umbilicate, smooth. The gills are attached to the stem, ascending, rather distant. The stem is thread-like, smooth, short. The spores are 7–8×4. Fries. These plants are very small and easily overlooked. They grow on leaves in the woods after a rain. July and August. Quite common. Mycena setosa. Sow.Setosa means full of setÆ or hairs. The pileus is very delicate, hemispherical, obtuse, smooth. The gills are distant, white, almost free. The stem is short, slender, and covered with spreading hairs which gives rise to its specific name. Commonly found on dead leaves in the woods after a rain. Found in July and August. Mycena hÆmatopa. Pers.The Blood-Foot Mycena. Edible. Figure 90.—Mycena hÆmatopa. Brownish-red or flesh-color. A dull red juice exudes from the stem. Margin dentate by sterile flap. HÆmatopa is from two Greek words, meaning blood and foot. The pileus is fleshy, one inch broad, conic, or bell-shaped, somewhat umbonate, obtuse, whitish to flesh-color, with more or less dull red, even, or slightly striate at the margin, the margin extending beyond the gills and is toothed. The gills are attached to the stem, often with a decurrent tooth, whitish. Spores, 10×6–7. The stem is two to four inches long, firm, hollow, sometimes smooth, sometimes powdered with whitish, soft hairy down, in color the same as the pileus, yielding a dark red juice which gives name to the species. The color varies quite a little in these plants, owing to some having more of the red juice than others. The genus is readily identified by the dull blood-red Mycena alkalina. Fr.The Stump Mycena. Solitary or cespitose; pileus one-half to two inches broad, rather membranaceous, campanulate, obtuse, naked, deeply striate, moist, shining when dry, when old expanded or depressed, but little changed in color, though occasionally with a pink or yellow hue, whitish or grayish, the center of the disk darker. The gills are adnate, rather distant, slightly ventricose, at first pale, then glaucous, pinkish, or yellow, more or less connected by veins. The stem is smooth, slightly sticky, shining, villous at the base with a sometimes tawny-down, sometimes firm and tenacious, hollow, attenuated upward. The plant is rigid, but brittle, and strong-scented. Found on decayed stumps and logs, you will meet it frequently. August to November. Mycena filopes. Bull.Thready-Stemmed Mycena. Pileus membranaceous, obtuse, campanulate, then expanded, striate, brown or umber, tinged with pink. The gills are free or minutely adnexed, slightly ventricose, white or paler than the pileus, crowded. The stem is hollow, juicy, smooth, filiform, rather brittle, whitish or brownish. Found in woods on leaves, after a rain, from July to October. Mycena stannea. Fr.The Tin-Colored Mycena. Stannea pertaining to the color of tin. This is a delicate species that grows in the woods in tufts on rotten wood in damp places. The general character is shown in the illustration, being nearly white but many of the pilei are somewhat smoky. The pileus is firm, membranaceous, bell-shaped, then expanded, smooth, very slightly striate, hygrophanous, quite silky, tin-color. The gills are firmly attached to the stem, with a decurrent tooth, connected by veins, grayish-white. The stem is smooth, even, shining, becoming pale, at length compressed. This species differs from Mycena vitrea in having a tooth to the gills. May, June, and July. Mycena vitrea. Fr. Vitrea, glassy. This plant is quite fragile. The pileus is membranaceous, bell-shaped, livid-brown, finely striate, no trace of umbo. The gills are firmly attached to the stem, not connected by veins, distinct, linear, whitish. The stem is slender, slightly striate, polished, pale, base fibrillose. This species differs from M. Ætites and M. stannea in gills not having a decurrent tooth and not being connected by veins. Mycena corticola. Fr.Corticola means dwelling on bark. It is one of the smallest of the Mycenas, the pileus being about two to four lines across, thin, hemispherical, obtuse, becoming slightly umbilicate, deeply striate, glabrous or flocculosely pruinose, gray, tan, or brownish. The gills are attached to the stem, with slight decurrent tooth, broad, rather ovate, pallid. The stem, is short, slender, incurved, glabrous or minutely scurfy, somewhat These plants are found on the bark of living trees. After rains I have seen the bark on the shade trees along the walks in Chillicothe, literally covered with these beautiful little plants. The plants in Figure 93 were taken from a maple tree the 4th of December. They are very close allied to M. hiemalis but can be distinguished by the broad, ovate gills bearing cystidia, and smaller spores. Mycena hiemalis. Osbeck.The Winter Mycena. Hiemalis, of, or belonging to, winter. The pileus quite thin, bell-shaped, very slightly umbonate, margin striate; pinkish, rufescent, white, sometimes pruinose. The gills are adnate, linear, white or whitish. The stem is slender, curved, base downy, whitish, pinkish-red. The spores are 7–8×3. This is a more delicate species than M. corticola and differs from it in its narrow gills, and striate, not sulcate, pileus, also in the color of the stem. Found on stumps and logs. October and November. Mycena Leaiana. Berk. Leaiana named in honor of Mr. Thomas G. Lea, who was the first man to study mycology in the Miami Valley. This is a very beautiful plant growing on decayed beech logs in rainy weather. The pileus is fleshy, very viscid, bright orange, the margin slightly striate as will be seen in the one whose cap shows. The gills are distant, not entire, broad, notched at the stem, attached, the edge a dusky orange, or vermilion, the short gills beginning at the margin. The stem is in most cases curved, attenuated toward the cap, smooth, hollow, rather firm, quite hirsute or strigose at the base. The spores are elliptical, apiculate, .0090×.0056 mm. They are cÆspitose, growing in dense tufts on logs somewhat decayed. It is extremely viscid, so much so that your hands will be stained yellow if you handle it much. It grows from spring to fall but is usually more abundant in August and September. Very common. Mycena iris. B. Pileus is small, convex, expanded, obtuse, slightly viscid, striate, quite blue when young, growing brownish with blue fibrils. The gills are free, tinged with gray. The stem is short, bluish below, tinged with brown above, somewhat pruinose. Found in damp woods after a rain, in August. Mycena pura. Pers.Pura means unstained, pure. The pileus is fleshy, thin, bell-shaped, expanded, obtusely umbonate, finely striate on the margin, sometimes having margin upturned, violet to rose. The gills are broad, adnate to sinuate, in older plants sometimes free by breaking away from the stem, connected by veins, sometimes wavy and crenate on the edge, the edge of the gills sometimes almost or quite white, violet, rose. The stem is even, nearly naked, somewhat villous at the base, sometimes almost white when young, later assuming the color of the cap, hollow, smooth. The spores are white and oblong, 6–8×3–3.5. M. Pelianthina differs from This plant is quite widely distributed. Our plants are light-violet in color, and the color seems constant. I have found it in mixed woods. It is found in September and October. Mycena vulgaris. Pers.Vulgaris means common. The pileus is small, convex, then depressed, papillate, viscid, brownish-gray, finely striate on the margin. The gills are subdecurrent, thin, white; the depressed cap and decurrent gills make the plant resemble an Omphalia. Spores, 5×2.5µ. The stem is viscid, pale, tough, fibrillose at the base, rooting, becoming hollow. It differs from M. pelliculosa in not having a separable cuticule and the fold-like gills. This plant will be recognized by its smoky or grayish color, umbilicate pileus, and viscid stem. It is found in woods on leaves and decayed sticks. August and September. Mycena epipterygia. Scop.Epipterygia is Epi, upon, and Pterygion, a small wing. These are small, the pileus being one-half to one inch broad, membranaceous, bell-shaped, then expanded, rather obtuse, not depressed, striate, the cuticule separable in every condition and viscid in damp weather, gray, often pale yellowish-green near the margin often minutely notched when young. The gills are attached to the stem with a decurrent tooth, thin, whitish or tinged with gray. The stem is two to four inches long, hollow, tough, rooting, viscid, yellowish, sometimes gray or even whitish. The spores are elliptical, 8–10×4–5µ. These plants have a wide distri The plants in Figure 96 were photographed by Prof. G. D. Smith of Akron. Omphalia. Fr.Omphalia is from a Greek word meaning the navel; referring here to the central depression in the cap. The pileus from the first is centrally depressed, then funnel-shaped, almost membranaceous, and watery when moist; margin incurved or straight. Stem cartilaginous and hollow, often stuffed when young, continuous with the cap but different in character. Gills decurrent and sometimes branched. They are generally found on wood, preferring a damp woody situation and a wet season. It is easily distinguished from Collybia and Mycena by its decurrent gills. In some of the species of the Mycena where the gills are slightly decurrent, the pileus is not centrally depressed as it is in corresponding species of Omphalia. There are a few species of Omphalia whose pileus is not centrally depressed but whose gills are plainly decurrent. Omphalia campanella. Batsch.The Bell Omphalia. Edible. Campanella means a little bell. The pileus is membranaceous, convex to extended, centrally depressed, striate, watery, rusty-yellow in color. The gills are moderately close, decurrent, bow-shaped, connected by veins, rigid, firm, yellowish. The spores elliptical, 6–7×3–4µ. The stem is hollow, clothed with down, and paler above. This plant is very common and plentiful in our woods and is widely distributed in the states. It grows on wood or on ground very heavily charged with decaying wood. It is found through the summer and fall. It is delicious if you have the patience to gather them. Omphalia epichysia. Pers.The pileus is thin, convex to expanded, depressed in the center, sooty-gray with a watery appearance, pallid to nearly white when dry. The gills are slightly decurrent, whitish then gray, somewhat crowded. The stem is slender, hollow, gray. The spores are elliptical, 8–10×4–5µ. It grows in decayed wood. Its smoky color, funnel-shaped pileus, and gray short stem will distinguish it. I have some plants sent me from Massachusetts which seem to be much smaller than our plants. Omphalia umbellifera. Linn.The Umbel Omphalia. Edible. Umbellifera—umbella, a small shade; ferro, to bear. Pileus one-half inch broad, membranaceous, whitish, convex, then plane, broadly obconic, slightly umbilicate even in the smallest plants, hygrophanous in wet weather, rayed with darker striÆ. The gills are decurrent, very distant, quite broad behind, triangular, with straight edges. The stem is short, not more than one inch long, dilated at the apex, of same color as the pileus, at first stuffed, then hollow, firm, white, villous at the base. It is a common plant in our woods, growing on decayed wood or ground largely made up of rotten wood. Decayed beech bark is a favorite habitat. Found from July till October. Omphalia cÆspitosa. Bol.CÆspitosa means growing in tufts; cÆspes, turf. The pileus is submembranaceous, very small, convex, nearly hemispherical, umbilicate, thin, sulcate, light-ochre, margin crenate, smooth. The gills are distant, rather broad, shortly decurrent, whitish. The stem is curved, hollow, colored like the pileus, slightly bulbous at the base. The spores are 6×5. This species is very much like Omphalia oniscus and they can only be distinguished by their habitats and color. It is found in August and September. It delights in well rotted wood. I have seen millions in one place. Omphalia oniscus. Fr.Bolton's Omphalia. Edible. Oniscus, a name given to a species of codfish by the Greeks, so named because of their gray color. The pileus is flaccid, irregular, about one inch broad, convex, plane, or depressed, slightly fleshy, wavy, sometimes lobed, margin striate, dark cinereous, paler when dry. The gills are adnate, decurrent, livid or whitish, arranged in groups of four, somewhat distant. The stem is about one inch long, rather firm, straight or curved, sometimes unequal, nearly hollow. The spores are 12×7–8µ. This is found in damp places from August to November. Omphalia pyxidata. Bull.The Box Omphalia. Pyxidata means made like a box, from pyxis, a box. The pileus is somewhat membranaceous, clearly umbilicate, then funnel-shaped, smooth when moist, margin often striate, brick-red. The gills are decurrent, rather distant, triangular, narrow, reddish gray, often yellowish. The stem is stuffed, then hollow, even, tough, pale-tawny. The spores are 7–8×5–6µ. The plants are usually hygrophanous, but when dry, floccose or slightly silky. This is a small plant growing usually on lawns, nearly hidden in the grass. I found some very fine specimens on Dr. Sulzbacher's lawn on Second Street, Chillicothe. The plant is, however, widely distributed. I found many specimens on the 3d of November. Omphalia fibula. Bull.Fibula means a buckle or pin, from the pin-like stem. The pileus is membranaceous, at first top-shaped, expanded, slightly umbilicate, striate, margin inclined to be inflexed, yellow or tawny, with a dusky center, minutely pilose. The gills are deeply decurrent, paler, distinct. The stem is slender, nearly orange color with a violet-brown apex, the whole minutely pilose. The spores are elliptical, 4–5×2µ. They are found on mossy banks where it is more or less damp. I have only found it in October. Omphalia alboflava. Moy. The Golden-Gilled Omphalia. Figure 100.—Omphalia alboflava. Cap yellowish-brown, sometimes a greenish tinge. Gills golden yellow. Alboflava is from two Greek words meaning whitish-yellow, from the yellow gills. The pileus is one to two inches broad, thin, somewhat membranaceous, umbilicate, flaccid, covered with fine woolly material, yellow-brown, lighter when dry, margin reflexed. The gills are distant, deep golden-yellow, occasionally forked. The stem is hollow, equal, smooth, shining, egg-yellow. The spores are elliptical, 8×4µ. This plant, is found quite frequently on decayed branches and logs about Chillicothe. I have never had the opportunity to test its edibility but I have no doubt of its being good. The plants in Figure 100 were found in Haynes' Hollow and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Found from July to October. Marasmius. Fr. Marasmius is a Greek participle meaning withered or shriveled; it is so called because the plant will wither and dry up, but revive with the coming of rain. The spores are white and subelliptical. The pileus is tough and fleshy or membranaceous. The stem is cartilaginous and continuous with the pileus, but of a different texture. The gills are thick, rather tough and distant, sometimes unequal, variously attached or free, rarely decurrent, with a sharp entire edge. It is quite a large genus and many of its species will be of great interest to the student. Marasmius oreades. Fr.The Fairy-Ring Mushroom. Edible. Oreades, mountain nymphs. Pileus is fleshy, tough and pliable when moist, brittle when dry, convex, becoming flat, somewhat umbonate, brownish-buff at first, becoming cream-color; when old it is usually quite wrinkled. The gills are broad and wide apart, creamy or yellowish, rounded at the stem end, unequal in length. The stem is solid, equal, tough, fibrous, naked and smooth at base, everywhere with a downy surface. The spores are white, 8×5. To my mind there is no more appetizing mushroom than the "Fairy Ring" mushroom. Figure 101 will give an accurate notion of the plant and Figure 102 will show how they grow in the grass. It is found in all parts of Ohio. Every old pasture field or lawn will be full of these rings. The plant is small but its plentifulness will make up for its size. There are many conjectures why this and many other mushrooms grow in a circle. The explanation is quite obvious. The ring is started by a clump or an individual mushroom. The ground where the mushroom grew is rendered unfit for mushrooms again, the spores fall upon the ground and the mycelium spreads out from this point, consequently each year the ring is growing larger. Sometimes they appear only in a crescent form. One can tell, by looking over a lawn or pasture, where the rings are, because, from the decay of the mushroom, the grass is greener and more vigorous there. Long ago, in England and Ireland, before the peasantry had begun to question the reality of the existence of the fairy folk and their beneficent interference in the affairs of life, these emerald-hued rings were firmly believed to be due to the fairy footsteps which nightly pressed their chosen haunts, and to mark the "The nimble elves That do by moonshine green sour ringlets make, Whereof the ewe bites not; whose pastime 'tis To make these midnight mushrooms." It is a very common plant, and it will pay any one to know it, as we cannot find anything in the markets that will equal it as a table delicacy. Found in pastures and lawns during rainy weather from May till frost. Marasmius urens. Fr.The Stinging Marasmius. Urens means burning; so called from its acrid taste. The pileus is pale-buff, tough, fleshy, convex or flat, becoming depressed and finally wrinkled, smooth, even, one to two inches broad. The gills are unequal, cream-colored, becoming brownish, much closer than in the Fairy Ring, hardly reaching the stem proper, joined behind. The stem is solid above and hollow below, fibrous, pale, its surface more or less covered with flocculent down, and densely covered with white down at the base. It will be well for collectors to pass by this and M. peronatus, or to exercise the greatest caution in their use. They have been eaten without harm, but they also have so long been branded as poisonous that too great care cannot be taken. Its taste is acrid, and it grows in lawns and pastures from June to September. Marasmius androsaceus. Linn.Androsaceus is from a Greek word which means an unidentified sea plant or zoophyte. The pileus is three to six lines broad, membranaceous, convex, with a slight depression, pale-reddish, darker in the center, striate, smooth. The gills are attached to the The stem is one to two inches long, horny, filiform, hollow, quite smooth, black, often twisted when dry. The spores are 7×3–4µ. This is a very attractive little plant found on the leaves in the woods after a rain. They are quite abundant. Found from July to October. Marasmius foetidus. Sow.Foetidus means stinking or foetid. The pileus is submembranaceous, tough, convex, then expanded, umbilicate striato-plicate, turning pale when dry, subpruinose. The gills are annulato-adnexed, distant, rufescent with a yellow tinge. The stem is hollow, minutely velvety, bay, base flocculose. The caps are light brownish-red in color, fading when dry. When fresh it has a foetid odor quite perceptible for such small plants. It is found on decayed sticks and leaves in woods. During wet weather or after heavy rains it is quite common in the woods about Chillicothe. Found from July to October. This is also called Heliomyces foetens (Pat.) and is so classified by Prof. Morgan in his very excellent Monogram on North American Species of Marasmius. Marasmius velutipes. B. & C. Figure 105.—Marasmius velutipes. Velutipes means velvet-footed, from the velvety stem. The pileus is thin, submembranaceous, smooth, convex, or expanded, grayish-rufous when moist, cinereous when dry, a half to one and a half inches broad. The gills are very narrow, crowded, whitish or grayish. The stem is slender, three to five inches long, equal, hollow, clothed with a dense grayish velvety tomentum. Peck. They usually grow in a very crowded condition, many plants growing from one mat of mycelium. It is quite a common plant with us, found in damp woods or around a swampy place. The pileus with us is convex. Some authorities speak of an umbilicate cap. The plant is quite hardy and easily identified because of its long and slender stem, with the grayish tomentum at the base. Found from July to October. The specimens in Figure 105 were found at Ashville, Ohio. Marasmius cohÆrens. (Fr.) Bres.The Stemmed-Massed Marasmius. Edible. Figure 106.—Marasmius cohÆrens. Two-thirds natural size, showing how the stems are massed together. CohÆrens means holding together, referring to the stems being massed together. The pileus is fleshy, thin, convex, campanulate, then expanded, sometimes slightly umbonate, in old specimens the margin upturned or wavy, velvety, reddish tan-color, darker in the center, indistinctly striate. The gills are rather crowded, narrow, adnate, sometimes becoming free from the stem, connected by slight veins, pale cinnamon-color, becoming somewhat darker with age, the variation of color due to the number of cystidia scattered over the surface of the gills and on their edge. Spores, oval, white, small, 6×3µ. The stem is hollow, long, rigid, even, smooth, shining, reddish-brown, growing The plant grows in dense clusters among leaves and in well rotted wood. I have found it quite often about Chillicothe. It is called Mycena cohÆrens, Fr., Collybia lachnophylla, Berk., Collybia spinulifera, Pk. The plants in Figure 106 were found near Ashville, Ohio. September to frost. Marasmius candidus. Bolt. The White Marasmius. Candidus means shining white. This delicate species grows in moist and shady places in the woods. It grows on twigs, its habitat and structure are fully illustrated in the Figure 107. The pileus is rather membranaceous, hemispherical, then plane or depressed, pellucid, wrinkled, naked, entirely white. The gills are adnexed, ventricose, distant, not entire. The stem is thin, stuffed, whitish, slightly pruinose, base tinged with brown. Spores are elliptical, 4×2µ. This plant has a wide distribution in this country. The specimens figured were collected by H. H. York near Sandusky, Ohio, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. I have found them at various points in Ohio. Marasmius rotula. Fr. The Collared Marasmius. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Figure 108.—Marasmius rotula. Natural size. Caps white or pale-buff. Rotula means a little wheel. The pileus is one to three lines broad, hemispherical, umbilicate, and minutely umbonate, plaited, smooth, membranaceous, margin crenate, white, or pale buff, with a dark umbilicus. The gills are broad, distant, few, equal, or occasionally with a few short ones, of the color of the pileus, attached to a free collar behind. The stem is setiform, slightly flexuous, white above, then tawny, deep shining brown at the base, striate, hollow, frequently branched and sarmentose, with or without abortive pilei.—M. J. B. This plant is very common in woods on fallen twigs. The plants in Figure 108 were collected near Cincinnati. This plant has a wide distribution. It is in all our Ohio woods. Marasmius scorodonius. Fr.Strong-Scented Marasmius. Edible. Scorodonius is from a Greek word meaning like garlic. The pileus is one-half inch or more broad, reddish when young, but becoming pale, whitish; somewhat fleshy, tough; even, soon plane, rugulose even when young, at length rugulose and crisped. The gills are attached to the stem, often separating, connected by veins, crisped in drying, whitish. The stem is at least one inch long, hollow, equal, quite smooth, shining, reddish. The spores are elliptical, 6×4µ. It is found in woods growing on sticks and decayed wood. It is strong-smelling. It is frequently put with other plants to give a flavor of garlic to the dish. Found from July to October. Marasmius calopus. Fr. Calopus is from two Greek words meaning beautiful and foot, so called because of its beautiful stem. The pileus is rather fleshy, tough, convex, plane then depressed, even, at length rugose, whitish. The gills are emarginate, adnexed, thin, white, in groups of 2–4. The stem is hollow, equal, smooth, not rooting, shining, reddish-bay. It is found growing on twigs and fallen leaves, in the woods. Smaller than M. Scorodonius but with longer stem. Marasmius prasiosmus. Fr.The Leek-Scented Marasmius. Prasiosmus means smelling like a leek; from, prason, a leek. The pileus is one-half to one inch broad, somewhat membranaceous, tough, bell-shaped, pale yellow or whitish, disk often darker, wrinkled. The gills are adnexed, somewhat close, white. The stem is tough, hollow, pallid and smooth above, dilated at the base, tomentose and brown. It is found in woods adhering to oak leaves after heavy rains. It is very near M. porreus but differs from it in its gills being white and caps not being striated. It differs from M. terginus mainly in its habitat and leek-like scent. Marasmius anomalus. Pk.Anomalus, not conforming to rule, irregular. The pileus is one to two inches broad, somewhat fleshy, tough, convex, even, reddish-gray. The stem is two to three inches long, hollow, equal, smooth, pallid above, reddish-brown below. The gills are rotundate-free, close, narrow, whitish or pallid. Morgan. This is quite a pretty plant, growing on sticks among leaves in the woods. It is larger than most of the small Marasmii found in similar habitats. Marasmius semihirtipes. Pk.Semihirtipes means a slightly hairy foot or stem. The pileus is thin, tough, nearly plane or depressed, smooth, sometimes striate on the margin, hygrophanous, reddish-brown when moist, alutaceous when dry, the disk sometimes darker. The gills are subdistant, reaching the stem, slightly venose-connected, sub-crenulate on the edge, white. The stem is equal, even or finely striate, hollow, smooth above, velvety-tomentose toward the base, reddish-brown. Peck. These plants are very small, often no doubt overlooked by the collector. They are gregarious in their mode of growth. Marasmius longipes. Pk.Longipes means long stem or foot. The pileus is thin, convex, smooth, finely striate on the margin, tawny-red. The gills are not crowded, attached, white. The stem is tall, straight, hollow, equal, covered with a downy meal, rooting, brown or fawn-color, white at the top. These plants are quite small and slender, sometimes four to five inches high. They are rather common in our woods after a rain. Marasmius graminum. Berk.Graminum is the gen. pl. of gramen, which means grass. The pileus small, membranaceous, convex, then nearly plane, umbonate, deeply and distinctly striate or sulcate, tinged with rufous, the furrows paler, disc brown. The gills are attached to a collar that is free around the stem, few in number, slightly ventricose, cream-color. The stem is short, slender, equal, smooth, shining, black, whitish above. The spores are globose, 3–4µ. This species is very near M. rotula but it can be easily distinguished by the pale rufescent, distinctly sulcate pileus, and its growing on grass. I have frequently found it on the Chillicothe high school lawn. Marasmius siccus. Schw.The Bell-Shaped Marasmius. Plate XVII. Figure 110.—Marasmius siccus. This is a very beautiful plant found in the woods after a rain, growing from the leaves. They are found singly, but usually in groups. The pileus is at first nearly conical, then campanulate, membranaceous, dry, smooth, furrows radiating from almost the center, growing larger as they approach the margin, ochraceous-red, the disk a little darker. The gills are free or slightly attached, few, distant, broad, narrowed toward the stem, whitish. The stem is hollow, tough, smooth, shining, blackish-brown, two to three inches long. The pileus is about a half inch broad. The plant is quite common in our woods. I have not found it elsewhere. The plants in the photograph represent the pink form, which is not so common as the ochraceous-red. In the pink form the center of the cap and the apex of the stem is a delicate pink, which gives the plant a beautiful appearance. Found from June to October. I have not tested it but have no doubt of its esculent qualities. Marasmius fagineus. Morgan.Fagineus means belonging to beech. Pileus a little fleshy, convex then plane or depressed, at length somewhat repand, rugose-striate, reddish-pallid or alutaceous. The gills are short-adnate, somewhat crisped, close, pale reddish. The stem is short, hollow, pubescent, thickened upward, concolorous; the base somewhat tuberculose. Morgan, Myc. Flora M. V. This plant is quite frequently found in our woods growing on the bark at the base of living beech trees. Its habitat, its reddish or alutaceous cap, and its paler gills will clearly identify the species. Marasmius peronatus. Fr.The Masked Marasmius. Figure 112.—Marasmius peronatus. Natural size. Cap reddish-buff. Gills creamy or light reddish-brown. Peronatus is from pero, a boot. The pileus is reddish-buff, convex, slightly flattened at the top, quite wrinkled when old; diameter, at full expansion, between one and two inches, margin striate. The gills are thin and crowded, creamy, becoming light reddish-brown, continuing down the stem by a short curve. The stem is fibrous-stuffed, pale, densely clothed at the base with stiff yellowish hairs. It grows in the woods, among dead leaves, from May till frost. It is usually solitary yet is sometimes found in clusters. It has been eaten frequently without injury, but by most writers is branded poisonous. It is quite acrid, but that disappears in cooking. The dense yellow hairs at the base of the stem appear to constitute the distinguishing characteristic. Found from July to October. Marasmius ramealis. Fr.Ramealis means a branch or stick; so called because the plant is found growing on sticks, in open woods. The pileus is very small, somewhat fleshy, plane or a trifle depressed, obtuse, not striate, slightly rugulose, opaque. The gills are attached to the stem, somewhat distant, narrow, white. The stem is about one inch long, stuffed, mealy, white, inclined to be rufescent at the base. The spores are elliptical, 4×2µ. This is a very pretty plant, but easily overlooked. It is found on oak and beech branches, frequently in large groups. Figure 113 illustrates their mode of growth and will assist the collector in identifying the species. Not poisonous, but too small to gather. Found from July to October. The specimens in Figure 113 were found in Haynes' Hollow near Chillicothe and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Marasmius saccharinus. Batsch.Granular Marasmius. Edible. Saccharinus is from saccharum, sugar; it is so called because the white pileus looks very much like loaf sugar. The pileus is entirely white, membranaceous, convex, somewhat papillate, smooth, sulcate and plicate. The gills are broadly and firmly attached to the stem, narrow, thick, very distant, united by veins, whitish. The stem is quite thin, thread-form, attenuated upward, at first flocculose, at length becoming smooth, inserted obliquely, reddish, pale at the apex. Spores, 5×3µ. Quite common in wet weather on dead oak limbs in woods. This plant differs from M. epiphyllus in its habitat, in the papillate form of its pileus and the stem's being flocculose, then smooth; also in that the gills are united in a reticulated manner. Common. July to October. Marasmius epiphyllus. Fr. The Leaf Marasmius. Edible. Epiphyllus means growing on leaves. The pileus is white, membranaceous, nearly plane, at length umbilicate, smooth, wrinkled, plicate. The gills are firmly attached to the stem, white, connected by veins, entire, distant, few. The stem is rather horny, bay, minutely velvety, apex pale, inserted. The spores are 3×2µ. This plant is abundant everywhere, on fallen leaves in woods during rainy weather. July to October. Marasmius delectans. Morgan.Delectans means pleasing or delightful. The pileus is subcoriaceous, convex, then expanded and depressed, glabrous, rugulose, white, changing in drying to pale alutaceous. The gills are moderately broad, unequal, rather distant, trabeculate between, white, emarginate, adnexed; the spores are lance-oblong, hyaline, 7–9×4µ. The stem, arising from an abundant white-floccose mycelium, is long, slender, tapering slightly upward, smooth, brown and shining, white at the apex. It is found growing on old leaves in woods. The plants in the figure were collected in the woods at Sugar Grove, Ohio, by R. A. Young, July 28, 1906, and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Found from July to October. Marasmius nigripes. Schw. Nigripes means black foot, so called because the stems are black. Tremmelloid. Pileus very thin, pure white, pruinose, rugulose-sulcate, convex then expanded. The gills are pure white, unequal, some of them forked, adnate, the interstices venulose. The stem is thickest at the apex, tapering downward, black, white-pruinose, the base insititious. Morgan. It is found on old leaves, sticks, and old acorns and hickory-nuts. When dry, the stem loses its black color and the gills become flesh-color. It is quite common in thin and open woods. The spores are hyaline and stellate, 3–5-rayed. Found from July to October. This is called Heliomyces nigripes by some authors. Pleurotus. Fr. Pleurotus is from two Greek words meaning side and ear, alluding to its manner of growth on a log. This genus is very common everywhere in Ohio, and is easily determined by its eccentric, lateral, or even absent stem, but it must have white spores, and the characteristics of the Agaricini. Pileus fleshy in the larger species and membranaceous in the smaller forms, but never becoming woody. Stem mostly lateral or wanting; when present, continuous with cap. Gills with sinus or broadly decurrent, toothed. Grows in woods. Pleurotus ostreatus. Jacq.The Oyster Mushroom. Edible. Pileus two to six inches broad, soft, fleshy, convex, or slightly depressed behind, subordinate, often cespitosely imbricated, moist, smooth, margin involute; whitish, cinereous or brownish; flesh white, the whole surface shining and satiny when dry. Gills broad, decurrent, subdistant, branching at the base, white or whitish. The stem when present is very short, firm, lateral, sometimes rough with stiff hair, hairy at the base. Spores oblong, white, .0003 to .0004 inch long, .00016 inch broad. This is one of our most abundant mushrooms, and the easiest for the beginner to identify. In Figures 116 and 117, you will see the plant growing in imbricated form apparently without any stem. In Figure 118 is a variety that has a pronounced stem, showing how the stems grow together at the base, the slight grooving on the stems, also the decurrent gills. In most of these plants the stems are plainly lateral, but a few will appear to be central. It will be difficult to distinguish it from the Sapid mushroom and for table purposes there is little need to separate them. In Ohio the Oyster mushroom is very common everywhere. I have seen trees sixty to seventy feet high simply loaded with this mushroom. If one will locate a few logs or stumps upon which the Oyster mushroom grows, he can find there an abundant supply (when conditions are Pleurotus salignus. Fr.The Willow Pleurotus. Edible. Salignus, from salix, a willow. Pileus is compact, nearly halved, horizontal, at first cushion-shaped, even, then with the disk depressed, substrigose, white or fuliginous. The stem, eccentric or lateral, sometimes obsolete, short, white-tomentose. The gills are decurrent, somewhat branched, eroded, distinct at the base, nearly of the same color. Spores .00036 by .00015 inch. Fries. I found this species near Bowling Green on willow stumps. About every ten days the stumps offered me a very excellent dish, better than any meat market could afford. September to November. Pleurotus ulmarius. Bull. The Elm Pleurotus. Edible. Ulmarius, from ulmus, an elm. It takes its name from its habit of growing on elm trees and logs. It appears in the fall and may be found in company with the Oyster mushroom, late in December, frozen solid. This species is frequently seen on elm trees, both dead and alive, on live trees where they have been trimmed or injured in some way. It is often seen on elms in the cities, where the elm is a common shade tree. Its cap is large, thick and firm, smooth and broadly convex, sometimes pale yellow or buff. Frequently the epidermis in the center of the cap cracks, giving the surface a tessellated appearance as in Figure 119. The flesh is very white and quite compact. The gills are white or often becoming tawny at maturity, broad, rounded or notched, not closely placed, sometimes nearly decurrent. The stem is firm and solid, various in length, occasionally very short, inclined to be thick at the base and curved so that the plant will be upright, as will be seen in Figure 119. The cap is from three to six inches broad. A specimen that measured over ten inches across the cap, was found some thirty feet high in a tree. While it was very large, it was quite tender and made several meals for two families. But this species is not limited entirely to the elm. I found it on hickory, about Chillicothe. There are a few elm logs along my rambles that afford me fine specimens with great regularity. Insects do not seem to infest it as they do the ostreatus and the sapidus. Sometimes, when the plant grows from the top of a log or the cut surface of a stump, the stem will be longer, straight, and in the center of the cap. This form is called by some authors var. verticalis. For my own use I think the Elm mushroom, when properly prepared, very delicious. Like all tree mushrooms it should be eaten when young. It is easily dried and kept for winter use. Found from September to November. Pleurotus petaloides. Bull.The Petaloid Pleurotus. Edible. This species is so called from its likeness to the petals of a flower. Pileus fleshy, spathulate, entire; margin at first involute, finally fully expanded; villous, depressed. The stem is compressed and villous, often channelled, nearly erect. The gills are strongly decurrent, crowded, narrow, and white or whitish. Spores minutely globose, .0003 by .00015. The plant varies very greatly in form and size. Its chief characteristic is Pleurotus sapidus. Kalchb. The Sapid Pleurotus. Edible. Figure 121.—Pleurotus sapidus. One-third natural size, showing imbricated growth. Spores lilac. Sapidus, savory. This plant grows in clusters whose stems are more or less united at the base as in Figure 121. The caps when densely crowded are often irregular. They are smooth and vary much in color, being whitish, ash-gray, brownish, yellowish-gray. The flesh is thick and white. The gills are white or whitish, rather broad, running down on the stem, and slightly connected, at times, by oblique or transverse branches. The stem is generally short, solid, several usually springing from a thickened base, white or whitish and either laterally or eccentrically connected with the cap. This plant is classed with the white-spored species, yet its spores, after a short exposure to the air, really exhibit a pale lilac tint. This can only be seen when the spores are in sufficient quantity and resting on a suitable surface. The size of the plant varies, the cap being commonly from two to five inches long. It grows in woods and open places, on stumps and logs of various kinds. Its edible quality is quite as good as the Oyster mushroom. The only way by which it can be distinguished from the P. ostreatus is by its lilac-tinted spores. It is found from June to November. Pleurotus serotinoides. Pk. The Yellowish Pleurotus. Edible. Serotinoides, like serotinus, which means late-coming; from its appearing in the winter. The pileus is fleshy, one to three inches broad, compact, convex or nearly plane, viscid when young and moist, half-kidney-shaped, roundish, solitary or crowded and imbricated, variously colored, dingy-yellow, reddish-brown, greenish-brown or olivaceous, the margin at first involute. The gills are close, determinate, whitish or yellowish. The stem is very short, lateral, thick, yellowish beneath, and minutely downy or scaly with blackish points. The spores are minute, elliptical, .0002 inch long, .0001 inch broad. There is probably no difference between this and P. serotinus, the European species. It is a beautiful plant. The color and size are quite variable. I found it on Ralston's Run and in Baird's woods on Frankfort Pike. It is found from September to January. Pleurotus applicatus. Batsch.Little Gray Pleurotus. Applicatus means lying upon or close to; so named from the sessile pileus. The pileus is one-third of an inch across, when young cup-shaped, dark cinereous, somewhat membranaceous, quite firm, resupinate, then reflexed, somewhat striate, slightly pruinose, villous at the base. The gills are thick, broad in proportion to the size of the cap, distant, radiating, gray, the margin lighter, sometimes the gills are as dark as the pileus. Sometimes it is attached only by the center of the pileus; sometimes, growing on the side of a shelving log, it is attached laterally. It is not as abundant as some other forms of Pleurotus. It differs from P. tremulus in absence of a distinct stem. Pleurotus cyphellÆformis. Berk.CyphellÆformis means shaped like the hollows of the ears. The pileus is cup-shaped, pendulous, downy or mealy, upper layer gelatinous, gray, very minutely hairy, especially at the base, margin paler. The gills are narrow, rather distant, pure white, alternate ones being shorter. These are very small plants, found only in damp places on dead herbaceous plants. They resemble a Cyphella griseo-pallida in habit. Pleurotus abscondens. Pk.Abscondens means keeping out of view. It is so called because it persists in growing in places where it is hidden from sight. The pileus is often two and a half inches broad, delicate-white, strong stringent odor, usually pruinose, margin slightly incurved. The gills are attached to the stem, rather crowded, very white, somewhat narrow. The stem is short, solid, pruinose, usually lateral, and curved. The plant usually grows in hollow stumps or logs, and in this case the stem is always lateral and the plant grows very much as does the P. ostreatus, except that they are not imbricated. Occasionally the plant is found on the bottom of a hollow log and in that case the cap is central and considerably depressed in the center. I have never seen it growing except in a hollow stump or log. Its manner of growth and its delicate shape of white will serve to identify it. It is found from August to November. Pleurotus circinatus. Fr.Circinatus means to make round, referring to the shape of the pileus. The pileus is two to three inches broad, white, plane, orbicular, convex at first, even, covered over with silky-pruinose lustre. The gills are adnate-decurrent, rather crowded, quite broad, white. The stem is equal, smooth, one to two inches long, stuffed, central or slightly eccentric, rooted at the base. The form of these plants is quite constant and the round white caps will at Lactarius. Fr.Lactarius means pertaining to milk. There is one feature of this genus that should easily mark it, the presence of milky or colored juice which exudes from a wound or a broken place on a fresh plant. This feature alone is sufficient to distinguish the genus but there are other points that serve to make the determination more certain. The flesh, although it seems quite solid and firm, is very brittle. The fracture is always even, clean cut, and not ragged as in more fibrous substances. The plants are fleshy and stout, and in this particular resemble the Clitocybes, but the brittleness of the flesh, milky juice, and the marking of the cap, will easily distinguish them. Many species have a very acrid or peppery flavor. If a person tastes one when raw, he will not soon forget it. This acridity is usually lost in cooking. The pileus in all species is fleshy, becoming more or less depressed, margin at first involute, often marked with concentric zones. The stem is stout, often hollow when old, confluent with the cap. The gills are usually unequal, edge acute, decurrent or adnate, milky; in nearly all the species the milk is white, changing to a sulphur yellow, red, or violet, on exposure to the air. Lactarius torminosus. Fr.The Woolly Lactarius. Poisonous. Figure 127.—Lactarius torminosus. Three-fourths natural size. Caps yellowish-red or ochraceous tinged with red, margin incurved. Torminosus, full of grips, causing colic. The pileus is two to four inches broad, convex, then depressed, smooth, or nearly so, except the involute margin which is more or less shaggy, somewhat zoned, viscid when young and moist, yellowish-red or pale ochraceous, tinged with red. The gills are thin, close, rather narrow, nearly of the same color as the pileus, but yellower and paler, slightly forked, subdecurrent. The stem is one to two inches long, paler than the cap, equal or slightly tapering downward, stuffed or hollow, sometimes spotted, clothed with a very minute adpressed down. The milk is white and very acrid. The spores are echinulate, subglobose, 9–1O×7–8µ. This differs from L. cilicioides in its zoned pileus and white milk. Most Lactarius piperatus. Fr.The Peppery Lactarius. Edible. Piperatus—having a peppery taste. The pileus is creamy-white, fleshy, firm, convex, then expanded, depressed in the center, dry, never viscid, and quite broad. The gills are creamy-white, narrow, close, unequal, forked, decurrent, adnate, exuding a milky juice when bruised, milky-white, very acrid. The stem is creamy white, short, thick, solid, smooth, rounded at the end, slightly tapering at the base. Spores generally with an apiculus, .0002 by .00024 inch. The plant is found in all parts of Ohio, but most people are afraid of it on account of its very peppery taste. Although it can be eaten without harm, it will never prove a favorite. It is found in open woods from July to October. In its season is one of the very common plants in all of our woods. Lactarius pergamenus. Fr. Pergamenus is from pergamena, parchment. The pileus is convex, then expanded, plane, depressed, wavy, wrinkled, without zones, often repand, smooth, white. The gills are adnate, very narrow, tinged with straw-color, often white, branched, much crowded, horizontal. The stem is smooth, stuffed, discolored, not long. The milk is white and acrid. Spores, 8×6. It differs from L. piperatus in its crowded, narrow gills and longer stem. Found in woods from August to October. Lactarius deceptivus. Pk.Deceiving Lactarius. Edible Deceptivus means deceiving. The pileus is three to five inches broad, compact, at first convex, and umbilicate, then expanded and centrally depressed or subinfundibuliform, obsoletely tomentose or glabrous except on the margin, white or whitish, often varied with yellowish or sordid strains, the margin at first involute and clothed with a dense, soft cottony tomentum, then spreading or elevated and more or less fibrillose. The gills are rather broad, distant or subdistant, adnate or decurrent, some of The stem is one to three inches long, equal or narrowed downward, solid, pruinose-pubescent, white. Spores are white, 9–12.7µ. Milk white, taste acrid. This plant delights in woods and open groves, especially under coniferous trees. It is a large, meaty, acrid white species, with a thick, soft, cottony tomentum on the margin of the pileus of the young plant. The specimen photographed was sent me from Massachusetts by Mrs. Blackford. It grows in July, August and September. Its sharp acridity is lost in cooking, but like all acrid Lactarius it is coarse and not very good. Lactarius indigo. (Schw.) Fr.Figure 130.—Lactarius indigo. One-third natural size. Entire plant indigo blue. This is one of our most striking plants. No one can fail to recognize it, because of the deep indigo blue that pervades the whole plant. I have found it in only one place, near what is known as the Lone-Tree Hill near Chillicothe. I have found it there on several different occasions. The pileus is from three to five inches broad, the very young plants seem to be umbilicate with the margin strongly incurved, then depressed or funnel-shaped; as the plant ages the margin is elevated and sometimes waved. The entire plant is indigo blue, and the surface The gills are crowded, indigo blue, becoming yellowish and sometimes greenish, with age. The stem is one to two inches long, short, nearly equal, hollow, often spotted with blue, colored like the pileus. It is edible but rather coarse. Found in open woods July and August. Lactarius regalis. Pk.Regalis means regal; so named from its large size. The pileus is four to six inches broad, convex, deeply depressed in the center; viscid when moist; often corrugated on the margin; white, tinged with yellow. The gills are close, decurrent, whitish, some of them forked at the base. The stem is two to three inches long and one inch thick, short, equal, hollow. The taste is acrid and the milk sparse, white, quickly changing to sulphur-yellow. The spores are .0003 of an inch in diameter. Peck. This is frequently a very large plant, resembling in appearance L. piperatus but easily recognized because of its viscid cap and its spare milk changing to yellow, as in L. chrysorrhÆus. It grows on the ground in the woods, in August and September. I find it here chiefly on the hillsides. The specimens in Figure 132 were found in Michigan and photographed by Dr. Fischer. Lactarius scrobiculatus. Fr.The Spotted-Stemmed Lactarius. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Figure 133.—Lactarius scrobiculatus. Natural size. Caps reddish-yellow, zoned. Margin very much incurved, stem pitted. Scrobiculatus is from scrobis, a trench, and ferro, to bear, referring to the pitted condition of the stem. The pileus is convex, centrally depressed, more or less zoned, reddish-yellow, viscid, the margin very much incurved, downy. The gills are adnate, or slightly decurrent, whitish, and often very much curled, because of the incurved condition of the cap at first. The stem is equal, stuffed, adorned often with pits of a darker color. The spores are white, juice white, then yellowish. The plant is very acrid to the taste, and solid. Too hot to be eaten. I have found it only a few times on the hills of Huntington township, near Chillicothe. The yellowish hue and markedly incurved margin will identify the plant. Found in August and September. Lactarius trivialis. Fr.Figure 134.—Lactarius trivialis. One-half natural size. Caps light tan with a pinkish hue. Very acrid. Trivialis means common. The pileus is three to four inches broad, usually damp or watery, sometimes quite viscid, shining when dry, convex, then expanded, depressed in the center, margin at first incurved, even, smooth; warm, soft tan, rather light, and sometimes a very slight pinkish hue prevails. The flesh is solid and persistent. The gills are rather crowded, slightly decur The plant is very acrid and peppery. It is quite plentiful along the streams of Ross county, Ohio. It is not poisonous, but it seems too hot to eat. It is found after rains from July to October, in mixed woods where it is damp. Lactarius insulsus. Fr.Figure 135.—Lactarius insulsus. One-third natural size. Caps yellowish or straw color. Very acrid. Insulsus, insipid or tasteless. This is a very attractive plant. Quite solid and maintains its form for several days; The pileus is two to four inches broad, convex, depressed in the center, then funnel-shaped, smooth, viscid when moist, more or less zoned, the zones much narrower than L. scrobiculatus, yellowish or straw-color, margin slightly incurved and naked. The gills are thin, rather crowded, adnate and sometimes decurrent, some of them forked at the base, whitish or pallid. Spores subglobose, rough, 10×8µ. The stem is one to two inches long, equal or slightly tapering downward, stuffed, whitish, generally spotted. Milk, white. Most authorities class this as an edible plant, but it is so hot and the flesh so solid that I have never tried it. I found two plants which fully answered the description of the European plants. The zones were orange-yellow and brick-red. I have visited the place many times since, but have never been able to find another. It is not an abundant plant with us. Found from July to October, in open woods. Lactarius lignyotus. Fr. The Sooty Lactarius. Edible. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Plate XXI. Figure, 136.—Lactarius lignyotus. Lignyotus is from lignum, wood. The pileus is one to four inches in diameter, fleshy, convex, then expanded, sometimes slightly umbonate, often in age slightly depressed, smooth or often wrinkled, pruinosely velvety, sooty umber, the margin in the old plants wavy and distinctly plaited; the flesh white and mild to the taste. The gills are attached to the stem; unequal; snow-white or yellowish-white, slowly changing to a pinkish-red or salmon color when bruised; distant in old plants. The stem is one to three inches long, equal, abruptly constricted at the apex, smooth, stuffed, of the same color as the pileus. Milk white, taste mild or tardily acrid. The spores are globose, yellowish, 9–11.3µ. This is called the Sooty Lactarius and is very easily identified. It will be frequently found associated with the Smoky Lactarius which it greatly resembles. It seems to delight in wet swampy woods. It is said to be one of the best of the Lactarii. The specimens in Figure 136 were collected at Sandusky, Ohio, and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Lactarius cinereus. Pk.Cinereus is from cineres, ashes; so called from the color of the plant. The pileus is one to two and a half inches broad, zoneless, somewhat viscid, floccose-scaly, depressed in the center, margin thin, even, flesh thin and white, mild to the taste, ashy-gray. The gills are adnate, rather close, sometimes forked (usually near the stem), uneven, white or creamy-white, milk white, not plentiful. The stem is two to three inches long, tapering upward, loosely stuffed, finally hollow, often floccose at the base. This plant is quite common from September to November, growing in damp weather on leaves in mixed woods. It has a mild taste. While I have not eaten it I have no doubt of its edibility. The color of the pileus is sometimes quite dark. Lactarius griseus. Pk.Gray Lactarius. Griseus means gray. The pileus is thin, nearly plane, broadly umbilicate or centrally depressed, sometimes infundibuliform, generally with a small umbo or papilla, minutely squamulose tomentose, gray or brownish-gray, becoming paler with age. The gills are thin, close, adnate, or slightly decurrent, whitish or yellowish. The stem is slender, equal or slightly tapering upward, rather fragile; stuffed or hollow; generally villose or tomentose at the base; paler than, or colored like, the pileus. The spores are .0003 to .00035 inch; milk white, taste subacrid. Pileus is 6 to 18 lines broad, stem 1 to 2 inches long, 1 to 3 lines thick. Peck. It resembles L. mammosus and L. cinereus. It differs from the former in not having ferruginous gills and pubescent stems, and from the latter by its smaller size, its densely pubescent pileus, and its habitat. It grows on mossy logs or in mossy swamps. The base of one of the plants in Figure 138 is covered with the moss in which they grew. These plants were found in Purgatory Swamp, near Boston, by Mrs. Blackford. They grow from July to September. Lactarius distans. Pk.The Distant-Gilled Lactarius. Edible. Distans means distant, so called because the gills are very wide apart. The pileus is firm, broadly convex or nearly plane, umbilicate or slightly depressed in the center; with a minute, velvety pruinosity; yellowish-tawny or brownish-orange. The gills are rather broad, distant, adnate or slightly decurrent, white or creamy yellow, interspaces veined; milk white, mild. The stem is short, equal or tapering downward, solid, pruinose, colored like the pileus. The spores are subglobose, 9–11µ broad. Peck, N. Y. Report, 52. I frequently mistake this plant for L. volemus when seen growing in the ground, but the widely separated gills distinguish the plant as soon as it is gathered. The stem is short and round, tapering downward, solid, colored like the pileus. The milk is both white and mild. I find it on nearly every wooded hillside about Chillicothe. It is found from July to September. Lactarius atroviridus. Pk.The Dark-Green Lactarius. Figure 139.—Lactarius atroviridus. Cap and stem dark green. Cap depressed in center. Gills white. Atroviridus is from ater, black; viridus, green; so called from the color of the cap and the stem of the plant. The pileus is convex, plane, then depressed in the center, with an adherent pellicle, greenish with darker scales, margin involute. The gills are slightly decurrent, whitish, broad, distant; milk white but not copious as in many of the Lactarii. The stem is quite short, tapering downward, dark green, scaly. The stem is so short that the cap seems to be right on the ground, hence it is very easily overlooked. It is found only occasionally on mossy hillsides, where there are not too many leaves. The plant in Figure 139 was found in Haynes' Hollow, near Chillicothe. I have found the plant on top of Mt. Logan. It is found from July to October. I do not know of its edibility. All specimens that I have found I have sent to my Mycological friends. It should be tasted with caution. Lactarius subdulcis. Fr.The Sweet Lactarius. Edible. Subdulcis means almost sweet, or sweetish. The pileus is two to three inches broad, rather thin, papillate, convex, then depressed, smooth, even, zoneless, cinnamon-red or tawny-red, margin sometimes wavy. The gills are rather narrow, thin, close, whitish, often reddish or tinged with red. Spores, 9–10µ. The stem is stuffed, then hollow, equal, slightly tapering upward, slender, smooth, sometimes villous at the base. The milk is white, sometimes rather acrid and unpleasant to the taste when raw. It needs to be cooked a long time to make it good. It is likely to be found anywhere, but it does best in damp places. The plants found with us all seem to have red or cinnamon-red gills, especially before the spores begin to fall. They are found growing on the ground, among leaves, or on well-rotted wood and sometimes on the bare ground. Found from July to November. Lactarius serifluus. Fr. Serifluus means flowing with serum, the watery part of milk. The pileus is fleshy, depressed in the center, dry, smooth, not zoned, tawny-brown, margin thin, incurved. The gills are crowded, light-brown, or yellowish, milk scanty and watery. The stem is solid, equal, paler than the pileus. Spores, 7–8µ. It differs from L. subdulcis in having a solid stem and perhaps a shade darker color. Found in woods, July to November. Lactarius corrugis. Pk.The Wrinkled Lactarius. Edible. Corrugis means wrinkled. The pileus is convex, plane, expanded, slightly depressed in the center; surface of the cap wrinkled, dry, bay-brown; margin at first involute. The gills are adnexed, broad, yellowish or brownish-yellow, growing paler with age. The stem is rather short, equal, solid, pruinose, of the same color as the pileus. The spores are subglobose, 10–13µ. This species looks very much like L. volemus, and its only essential difference is in the wrinkled form, and color of the pileus. The milk when dry is very sticky and becomes rather black. It has just a touch of acridity. Any one determining this species will not fail to note the number of brown cystidia or setÆ, in the hymenium, which project above the surface of the gills. They are so numerous and so near the edge of the gills that they give these a downy appearance. The quality of this species is even better than L. volemus, though it is not as abundant here as the latter. Found in thin woods from August to September. The photograph, Figure 141, was made by Prof. H. C. Beardslee. Lactarius volemus. Fr.The Orange-Brown Lactarius. Edible. Photo by Prof. Atkinson. Figure 142.—Lactarius volemus. Natural size. Caps golden-tawny. Milk copious, as will be seen where the plant has been pricked. Volemus from volema pira, a kind of a pear, so called from the shape of the stem. The pileus is broad, flesh thick, compact, rigid, plane, then expanded, obtuse, dry, golden-tawny, at length somewhat wrinkly. The gills are crowded, adnate or slightly decurrent, white, then yellowish; milk copious, sweet. The stem is solid, hard, blunt, generally curved like a pear-stem; its color is that of the pileus but a shade lighter. Spores globose, white. The milk in this species is very abundant and rather pleasant to the taste. It becomes quite sticky as it dries on your hands. This plant has a good record among mushroom eaters, both in this country and Europe. There is no danger of mistaking it. The plants grow in damp woods from July to September. They are found singly or in patches. They were found quite plentifully about Salem, Ohio, and also about Chillicothe. Lactarius deliciosus. Fr.The Delicious Lactarius. Edible. Figure 143.—Lactarius deliciosus. One-third natural size. Caps light reddish-yellow. Milk orange color. Deliciosus, delicious. The pileus is three to five inches broad; color varying from yellow to dull orange or even brownish-yellow with mottled concentric zones of deeper color, especially in younger plants, sometimes a light reddish-yellow, without apparent zones (as is the case of those in Figure 143); convex, when expanded becoming very much depressed; funnel-shaped; smooth, moist, some The gills are slightly decurrent in the depressed specimens, somewhat crowded, forked at the stem, short ones beginning at the margin; when bruised exuding a copious supply of milky juice of an orange color; a pale tan-color, turning green in age or in drying. Spores are echinulate, 9–10×7–8µ. The stem is two to three inches or more, equal, smooth, hollow, slightly pruinose, paler than the cap, occasionally spotted with orange, tinged with green in old plants. The taste of the raw plant is slightly peppery. It grows in damp woods and is sometimes quite common. Its name suggests the estimation in which it is held by all who have eaten it. Like all Lactarii it must be well cooked. The specimens in Figure 143 were gathered on Cemetery Hill close to the pine trees and in company with Boletus Americanus. Found from July to November. I found the plant in a more typical form about Salem, Ohio. Lactarius uvidus. Fr.Uvidus is from uva, grape, so called because when exposed to the air changes to the color of a grape. The pileus is two to four inches broad, flesh rather thin, convex, sometimes The gills are thin, slightly decurrent, crowded, shorter ones very obtuse and truncate behind, connected by veins, white, when wounded becoming lilac. The stem is soon hollow, two to three inches long, viscid, pallid. The spores are round, 10µ. Not only the milk changes to a lilac when cut, but the flesh itself. They are found in damp woods during August and September. The plants in Figure 144 were found near Boston, by Mrs. Blackford. These plants grew in Purgatory Swamp. The Sphagnum moss will be seen at the base of the upright plant. Lactarius chrysorrheus. Fr.Yellow-Juiced Lactarius. Chrysorrheus from two Greek words; chrysos, yellow or golden; reo, I flow, because the juice soon turns to a golden yellow. The pileus is rather fleshy, depressed, then funnel-shaped, yellowish-flesh colored, marked with dark zones or spots. The stem is stuffed, then hollow, equal, or tapering below, paler than the pileus, sometimes pitted. The gills are decurrent, thin, crowded, yellowish, milk white, then golden-yellow, very acrid. The milk is white, quite acrid, has a peculiar taste, and changes at once on exposure to a beautiful yellow. This is a common species about Salem, Ohio, and is quite variable in size. Found in woods and groves from July to October. I do not know whether its edible quality has ever been tested. When I found it some years ago I had less faith in mushrooms than I have now. Lactarius vellereus. Fr.The Wooly-White Lactarius. Edible. Vellereus from vellus, a fleece. The pileus is white, compact, fleshy, depressed or convex, tomentose, zoneless, margin at first involute, milk white and acrid. The gills are white or whitish, distant, forked, adnate or decurrent, connected by veins, bow-shaped, milk scanty. The stem is solid, blunt, pubescent, white, tapering downward. Spores white and nearly smooth, .00019 by .00034 inch. This species is quite common; and though very acrid to the taste, this acridity is entirely lost in cooking. It will be readily known by the downy covering of the cap. Found in thin woods and wood margins. July to October. Russula. Pers.Russula, red or reddish. The beginner will have little difficulty in determining this genus. There is such a strong family likeness that, finding one, he will say at once it is a Russula. The contour of the cap, the brittleness of its flesh and of its stem, the fragile gills, and the failure of any part of the plant to exude a milky or colored juice, the many gay colors—will all help in determining the genus. Many species of Russula strongly resemble those of the genus Lactarius, in size, shape, and texture. The spores, too, are quite similar, but the absence of the milky juice will mark the difference at once. The cap may be red, purple, violet, pink, blue, yellow, or green. The colored zones often seen in the Lactarii do not appear here. The beginner will possibly find trouble in identifying species, because of variation of size and color. The spores are white to very pale yellow, generally spiny. The pileus is fleshy, convex, then expanded, and at length depressed. The stem is brittle, stout, and smooth, generally spongy within, and confluent with the cap. The gills are milkless, with acute edge, and very tender. Captain McIlvaine, in his very valuable book, One Thousand American Fungi, says: "To this genus authors have done special injustice; there is not a single species among them known to be poisonous, and where they are not too strong of cherry bark and other highly flavored substances, they are all edible; most of them favorites." I can testify to the fact that many of them are favorites, though a few are very peppery and it requires some courage to attack them. They are all found on the ground in open woods, from early summer to late fall. Russula delica. Fr.The Weaned Russula. Edible. Delica means weaned, so called because, though it resembles Lactarius vellereus in appearance, it is void of milk. The pileus is quite large, fleshy, firm, depressed, even, shining, margin involute, smooth, not striated. The gills are decurrent, thin, distant, unequal, white. The stem is solid, compact, white, short. Specimens will be found that resemble Lactarius piperatus and L. vellereus, but they may be easily distinguished because they have no milk in their gills and the taste is mild. They are not equal to most of the Russulas. Found in woods from August to October. Russula adusta. Pers.The Smoky Russula. Edible. Adusta means burned. The pileus is fuliginous, cinereous, flesh compact, margin even and inflexed, depressed in the center. The gills are attached to the stem, decurrent, thin, crowded, unequal, white, not reddening when bruised. The stem is obese, solid, of the same color as the pileus, not turning red when bruised. The plant resembles R. nigricans, but can readily be distinguished from it Russula nigricans. Fr.Nigricans means blackish. The pileus is two to four inches broad, dark grayish-brown, black with advancing age, fleshy, compact, flesh turning red when bruised or convex, flattened, then depressed, at length funnel-shaped, margin entire, without striate, margin at first incurved, young specimens are slightly viscid when moist, even, without a separable pellicle; whitish at first, soon sooty olive, at length becoming broken up into scales and black; flesh firm and white, becoming reddish when broken. The gills are rounded behind, slightly adnexed, thick, distant, broad, unequal, the shorter ones sometimes very scanty, forked, reddening when touched. The stem is rather short, thick, solid, equal, pallid when young, then black. The spores are subglobose, rough, 8–9µ. The plant is quite compact, inodorous, becoming entirely black with age. It is easily distinguished from R. adusta by the flesh becoming reddish when bruised, and by the much thicker, and more distant gills. It is very close to R. densifolia but differs from it in that its gills are more distant and because of its mild taste. I am pleased to present to my readers, in Figure 146, a photograph of a plant which grew in Sweden in the locality where Prof. Fries did his great work in fungal study and research. It is a typical specimen of this species. It was gathered and photographed by Mr. C. G. Lloyd. It is found from June to October. Not poisonous, but not good. Russula foetens. Fr. The Fetid Russula. Not Edible. Foetens means stinking. The pileus is four to six inches broad, dirty white or yellowish; flesh thin; at first hemispherical, then expanded, almost plane, often depressed in the center; covered with a pellicle which is adnate; viscid in wet weather; widely striate-tuberculate on the margin, which is at first incurved. The gills are adnexed, connected by veins, crowded, irregular, many forked, rather broad, whitish, becoming dingy when bruised, exuding watery drops at first. The stem is stout, stuffed, then hollow, concolor, two to four inches long. The spores are small, echinulate, almost round. I have found the plants very generally diffused over the state. It is very coarse and uninviting. Its smell and taste are bad. Found from July to October. These plants are widely distributed and usually rather abundant. Russula alutacea. Fr.The Tan-Colored Russula. Edible. Figure 148.—Russula alutacea. Two-thirds natural size. Caps flesh color. Gills broad and yellowish. Alutacea, tanned leather. The pileus is flesh-color, sometimes red; flesh white; bell-shaped, then convex; expanded, with a viscid covering, growing pale; slightly depressed; even; margin inclined to be thin, striate. The gills are broad, ventricose, free, thick, somewhat distant, equal, yellow, then ochraceous. The stem is stout, solid, even; white, though parts of the stem are red, sometimes purple; wrinkled lengthwise; spongy. The spores are yellow. The taste is mild and From July to October. Russula ochrophylla. Pk.Ochrey Gilled Russula. Edible. Ochrophylla is from two Greek words meaning ochre and leaf, because of its ochre-colored gills. The pileus is two to four inches broad, firm, convex, becoming nearly plane or slightly depressed in the center; even, or rarely very slightly striate on the margin when old; purple or dark purplish-red; flesh white, purplish under the adnate cuticle; taste mild. The gills are entire, a few of them forked at the base, subdistant, adnate at first yellowish, becoming bright, ochraceous-buff when mature and dusted by the spores, the interspaces somewhat venose. The stem is equal or nearly so, solid or spongy within, reddish or rosy tinted, paler than the pileus. The spores are bright, ochraceous-buff, globose, verruculose, .0004 of an inch broad. Peck. This is one of the easiest Russulas to determine because of its purple or purplish-red cap, entire gills, at first yellowish, then a bright, ochraceous-buff when mature. The taste is mild and the flavor fairly good. There is also a plant which has a purplish cap and a white stem, called Russula ochrophylla albipes. Pk. It quite agrees in its edible qualities with the former. R. ochrophylla is found in the woods, especially under oak trees, in July and August. Russula lepida. Fr.The Neat Russula. Edible. Figure 149.—Russula lepida. Two-thirds natural size. Caps, purplish-red, with more or less brown. Lepida, from lepidus, neat. The pileus firm, solid; varying in color from bright red to dull, subdued purplish with a distinct brown; compact; convex, then depressed, dry unpolished; margin even, sometimes cracked and scaly, not striated. The gills are white, broad, principally even, occasionally forked, very brittle, rounded, somewhat crowded, connected by veins, sometimes red on the edge, especially near the margin. The stem is solid, white, usually stained and streaked with pink, compact, even. The surface is dull, as with a fine dust or plum-like bloom, and thus without polish. Often times the surface will appear almost velvety. The tints of the flesh and the gills will be found uniform. The plant when raw is sweet and nut-like to the taste. This is a beautiful species, the color being averaged under the general hue of dark, subdued red, inclining to maroon. It is simply delicious when properly cooked. Found in woods from July to September. Russula cyanoxantha. Fr.The Blue and Yellow Russula. Edible. Cyanoxantha, from two Greek words, blue and yellow, referring to color of the plant. The pileus is quite variable as to color, ranging from lilac or purplish to greenish; disk yellowish, margin bluish or livid-purple; convex, then plane, depressed in center; margin faintly striate, sometimes wrinkled. The gills are rounded behind, connected by veins, forked, white, slightly crowded. The stem is solid, spongy, stuffed, hollow when old, equal, smooth and white. The color of the cap is quite variable but the peculiar combination of color Russula vesca. Fr.The Edible Russula. Edible. Vesca from vesco, to feed. The pileus is from two to three inches broad; red-flesh-color, disk darker; fleshy; firm; convex, with a slight depression in the center, then funnel-shaped; slightly wrinkled; margin even, or remotely striate. Gills adnate, rather crowded, unequal, forked, and white. The stem is firm, solid, sometimes peculiarly reticulated, tapering at the base. The spores are globose, spiny, and white. I frequently found it near Salem, O., in thin chestnut woods and in pastures under such trees. A mushroom lover will be amply paid for the long tramps if he finds a basket full of these dainties. It is mild and sweet when raw. It is found in thin woods and in wood margins, sometimes under trees in pastures, from August to October. Russula virescens. Fr. The Green Russula. Edible. Virescens, being green. The Pileus is grayish-green; at first globose, then expanded, convex, at last depressed at the center; firm, adorned with flaky greenish or yellow patches, produced by the cracking of the skin; two to four inches broad, margin striate, often white. The gills are white, moderately close, free or nearly so, narrow as they approach the stem, some being forked, others not; very brittle, breaking to pieces at the slightest touch. The stem is shorter than the diameter of the cap, smooth, white, and solid or spongy. The spores are white, rough, and nearly globose. This plant is especially sweet and nutty to the taste when young and unwilted. All Russulas should be eaten when fresh. I have found the plant over the state quite generally. It is a prime favorite with the squirrels. You will often find them half eaten by these little nibblers. Found in open woods from July to September. It is one of the best mushrooms to eat and one that is very easily identified. It is quite common about Chillicothe, Ohio. Its mouldy color is not as prepossessing as the brighter hues of many far less delicious fungi, but it stands the test of use. Russula variata. Ban.Variable Russula. Edible. Pileus is firm, convex becoming centrally depressed or somewhat funnel-form, viscid, even on the thin margin, reddish-purple, often variegated with green, pea-green sometimes varied with purple, flesh white, taste acrid or tardily acrid. The gills are thin, narrow, close, often forked, tapering toward each end, adnate or slightly decurrent, white. The stem is equal or nearly so, solid, sometimes cavernous, white. The spores are white, subglobose, .0003 to .0004 of an inch long, .0003 broad. Peck, Rep. State Bot., 1905. This plant grows in open beech woods, rather damp, and appears in July and August. The caps are often dark purple, often tinged with red, and sometimes the caps contains shades of green. I found the plants plentifully in Woodland Park, near Newtonville, Ohio, in July, 1907. We ate them on several occasions and found them very good. The greenish margin and purplish center will mark the plant. Russula integra. Fr. The Entire Russula. Edible. Integra, whole or entire. The pileus is three or four inches in diameter, fleshy; typically red, but changing color; expanded, depressed, with a viscid cuticle, growing pale. Margin thin, furrowed and tuberculate. Flesh white, sometimes yellowish above. The stem is at first short and conical, then club-shaped or ventricose, sometimes three inches long and up to one inch thick; spongy, stuffed, commonly striate; even, and shining white. The gills are somewhat free, very broad, sometimes three-fourths of an inch; equal or bifid at the stem, rather distant and connected by veins; pallid or white, at length light yellow, being powdered yellow with the spores. Although the taste is mild it is often astringent. One of the most changeable of all species, especially in the color of the pileus, which, though typically red, is often found inclining to azure-blue, bay-brown, olivaceous, etc. It occasionally happens that the gills are sterile and remain white. Fries. The spores are spheroid, spiny, pale ochraceous. R. integra so closely resembles R. alutacea that to distinguish them requires a knowledge of both plants, and even then one may not feel quite sure; however, it matters little as they are equally good. Its powdery gills will help to distinguish R. integra from R. alutacea. Found from July to October. Russula roseipes. (secr) Bres.The Rosy-Stemmed Russula. Edible. Figure 151.—Russula roseipes. Natural size. Roseipes is from rosa, a rose; pes, a foot; so called because of its rose-colored or pinkish stem. The pileus is two to three inches broad, convex, becoming nearly plane, or slightly depressed; at first viscid, soon dry, becoming slightly striate on the margin; The gills are moderately close, nearly entire, rounded behind and slightly adnexed, ventricose, whitish becoming yellow. The stem is one to three inches long, slightly tapering upward, stuffed or somewhat cavernous, white tinged with red. The spores are yellow, round. Peck, 51 R. This plant is widely distributed from Maine to the West. It grows best in pine and hemlock woods, but sometimes found in mixed woods. It is found in July and August. Russula fragilis. Fr.The Tender Russula. Fragilis means fragile. The pileus is rather small, flesh-color or red, or reddish; thin, fleshy only at the disk; at first convex and often umbonate, then plane, depressed; cuticle thin, becoming pale, viscid in wet weather, margin tuberculate-striate. The gills are thin, ventricose, white, slightly adnexed, equal, crowded, sometimes slightly eroded at the edge. The spores are minutely echinulate, 8–10×8µ. The stem is stuffed, hollow, shining white. Quite as acrid as R. emetica, which it resembles in many ways, especially the smaller plants. It can be distinguished by its thinner caps, thinner and crowded gills, more ventricose and often slightly eroded at the edge. It is generally classed among poisonous mushrooms; but Captain Charles McIlvaine in his book says: "Though one of the peppery kind, I have not, after fifteen years of eating it, had reason to question its edibility." I should advise caution. Eat of it sparingly till sure of its effects. Found in woods from July to October. Russula emetica. Fr.The Emetic Russula. Figure 153.—Russula emetica. Two-thirds natural size. Caps rose-red to yellow-red. Gills white. Emetica means making sick, inciting to vomit. The pileus is fleshy, quite viscid, expanded, polished, shining, oval, or bell-shaped when young; its color is very variable from rose-red to a yellow-red or even purple; margin furrowed, flesh white. The gills are free, equal, broad, distant, white. The spores are round, 8µ. The stem is stout, solid, though sometimes spongy stuffed, even, white or reddish. The spores are white, round, and spiny. This species is recognized by its very acrid taste and free gills. A distinct channel will be seen between the gills and the stem. This very pretty mushroom Captain McIlvaine states that he has repeatedly eaten it and cites a number of others who ate it without bad results, although weight of authority would band it a reprobate. I am glad to report something in its favor, for it is a beautiful plant, yet I should advise caution in its use. It is found in open woods or in pastures under trees, from July to October. Its viscid cap will distinguish it. Russula furcata. Fr.The Forked Gilled Russula. Edible. Furca, a fork, so called from the forking of the gills. This is not peculiar, however, to this species. The pileus is two to three inches broad; greenish, usually greenish-umber, sometimes reddish; fleshy; compact; nearly round, then expanded, depressed in the center; even; smooth; often sprinkled with a silky luster, pellicle separable, margin at first inflexed, then expanded, always even, sometimes turned upward. The flesh is firm, white, dry, somewhat cheesy. The gills are adnate or slightly decurrent, somewhat crowded, broad, narrowed at both ends, many forked, shining white. The spores, 7–8×9µ. The stem is two to three inches long, solid, white, rather firm, even, equal or tapering downward. The spores are round and spiny. I have found it frequently on the wooded hillsides of the state. The taste when raw is mild at first, but soon develops a slight bitterness which, however, is lost in cooking. Fried in butter they are excellent. July to October. Russula rubra, Fr. The Red Russula. Figure 155.—Russula rubra. Two-thirds natural size. Caps bright-vermilion. Gills forked and tinged with red. Rubra means red, so called from the cap being concolorous, bright vermillion; showy, becoming pale with age, center of the cap usually darker; compact, hard, fragile, convex, expanded, somewhat depressed, dry, no pellicle, often cracked when old. The flesh is white, often reddish under the cuticle. The gills are adnate, rather crowded, white at first, then yellowish, many forked and with some short ones intermixed, frequently tinged with red at the edge. Spores 8–10µ, cystidia pointed. The stem is two to three inches long, solid, even, white, often with a faint reddish hue. The spores are nearly round and white. It is very acrid to the taste, and because of this acridity it is usually thought to be poisonous, but Captain McIlvaine says he does not hesitate to cook it either by itself or with other RussulÆ. It is found very generally in the state and is quite plentiful in the woods about Chillicothe, from July to October. Russula purpurina. Quel & Schulz.The Purple Russula. Edible. Figure 156.—Russula purpurina. Two-thirds natural size. Caps rosy-pink to light-yellow. Gills yellowish in age. Purpurina means purple. The pileus is fleshy, margin acute, subglobose, then plane, at length depressed in the center, slightly viscid in wet weather, not striate, often split, pellicle separable, rosy-pink, paling to light-yellow. Gills are crowded in youth, afterward subdistant, white, in age yellowish, reaching the stem, not greatly narrowed behind, almost equal, not forked. The stem is stuffed, spongy, very variable, cylindrical, attenuated above, This is not a large plant, but it can be readily determined by its red or reddish stem, mild taste and white spores. Found in open woods in July and August. Russula densifolia. Gillet.Figure 157.—Russula densifolia. Two-thirds natural size. Caps whitish, becoming fuliginous gray. Flesh turning red when exposed to the air. Densifolia has reference to the crowded condition of the gills. The pileus is from three to four inches broad, fleshy, quite compact, convex, expanded, then depressed, margin inflexed, smooth, not striate, white or whitish, becoming fuliginous, gray, or brownish, quite black in center, flesh red when broken. The gills are attached to the stem, somewhat decurrent, unequal, thin, crowded, white or whitish, with a rosy tint. Spores, 7–8µ. The stem is short, slightly mealy, white, then gray, at length blackish, smooth, round, turning red or brown on being handled. It differs from R. nigricans in being much smaller, and in its crowded gills. It differs from R. adusta in flesh turning red when broken. The flesh or substance is white at first, turning red when exposed to the air, then blackish. This plant is not abundant in this state. I found a number of plants on Cemetery Hill, where some shale had been dumped under a large beech tree. Found in July and August. Cantharellus. Adanson.Cantharellus means a diminutive drinking-cup or vase. This genus can be distinguished from all other genera by the character of its gills which are quite blunt on the edge, like folds, polished, and are mostly forked or branched. In some species the gills vary in thickness and number. They are decurrent, folded, more or less thick and swollen. The spores are white. They grow on the ground, on rotten wood, and among moss. They seem to delight in damp shady places. Cantharellus cibarius. Fr.The Edible Cantharellus. Cibarius means pertaining to food. This plant is frequently spoken of as the Chanterelle. The entire plant is a rich egg-yellow. The pileus is fleshy, at first convex, later flat, three to five inches broad, depressed in the center, finally funnel-shaped; bright to deep yellow; firm, smooth, but often irregular, its margin often wavy; flesh white, the cap has the appearance of an inverted cone. The gills are decurrent, shallow and fluted, resembling swollen veins, branched, more or less interconnected and tapering downward on the stem, color the same as the pileus. The stem is solid, variable in length, often curved, tapering towards the base, paler than the pileus and gills. It grows in woods and rather open places. I found it in great abundance in Stanley's woods, near Damascus, Ohio. I have found it very often about Chillicothe. The plant has a strong prune-like odor; when tasted raw they are peppery and pungent but sweet and quite delicious when cooked. My friends and myself have eaten it and pronounced very good. The plants in Figure 158 were gathered near Columbus, Ohio, and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. The species is quite common in the state, and is found from June to September. Cantharellus aurantiacus. Fr. False Chantarelle. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Figure 159.—Cantharellus aurantiacus. One-third natural size. Caps orange-yellow. Gills yellow and forked. Aurantiacus means orange-yellow. The pileus is fleshy, soft, depressed, downy, the margin strongly incurved when young, in mature plants it is wavy or lobed; color dull yellowish, usually brownish. The gills are crowded, straight, dark-orange, branched, with a regular bifurcation. The stem is lighter in color than the pileus, solid at first, spongy, stuffed, hollow, unequal, tapering upward, and somewhat curved. It is generally labeled poisonous, but some good authorities say it is wholesome. I have never eaten it further than in its raw state. It is easily distinguished from the edible species by its dull orange cap and its orange gills, which are thinner and closer and more regularly forked than those of the Edible Chantarelle. It grows in woods and open places. Found from July to September. Cantharellus floccosus. Schw.The Woolly Cantharellus. Edible. Floccosus means floccose or woolly. The pileus at the top is from one to two inches broad, fleshy, elongated funnel-form or trumpet-shape, floccose-squamose, ochraceous-yellow. The gills are vein-like, close, much anastomosing above, long decurrent and subparallel below, concolorous. The stem is very short, thick, rather deeply rooted. The spores are elliptical, 12.5–15×7.6µ. Peck, 23 Rep., N. Y. This plant is funnel-shaped nearly to the base of the stem. It is a small plant, never more than four inches high. I found it in Haynes's Hollow, in rather open woods, on mossy hillsides. July and August. Cantharellus brevipes. Pk. The Short-Stemmed Cantharellus. Edible. Brevipes is from brevis, short; pes, foot; so called because of its short stem. The pileus is fleshy, obconic, glabrous, alutaceous, or dingy cream-color, the thin margin erect, often irregular and lobed, tinged with lilac in the young plant; folds numerous, nearly straight in the margin, abundantly anastomosing below; pale umber, tinged with lilac. The stem is short, tomentose-pubescent, ash-colored, solid, often tapering downward. Spores yellowish, oblong-elliptical, uninucleate, 10–12×5µ. Peck, 33d Rep., N. Y. The plant is small; with us, not more than three inches high and the pileus not more than two inches broad at the top. It differs somewhat in color, in the character of the folds, and materially in the shape of the margin of the pileus. Found occasionally on the hillsides of Huntington Township, near Chillicothe, July to August. Cantharellus cinnabarinus. Schw.The Cinnabar Cantharellus. Edible. Figure 161.—Cantharellus cinnabarinus. Cap and stem cinnibar-red, flesh white. Natural size. Cinnabarinus means cinnabar-red, from the color of the plant. The pileus is firm, convex, or slightly depressed in the center, often irregular with wavy or lobed margin; glabrous, cinnabar-red, flesh white. The gills are narrow, distant, branched, decurrent, of the same color as the cap, dull on the edge. The stem is equal or tapering downward, glabrous, solid, sometimes stuffed, cinnabar-red. The spores are elliptical, 8–10µ long, 4–5µ broad. No one will have any difficulty in identifying this plant, since its color suggests the name at once. It is quite common about Chillicothe and throughout the state. It is found frequently with Craterellus cantharellus. It is a very pretty plant, growing in open woods or along the roadside in woods. It will keep for some time after it is gathered. It is found from July to October. Cantharellus infundibuliformis. Fr.Funnel-Shaped Cantharellus. Infundibuliformis means shaped like a funnel. The pileus is one to two and a half inches broad, somewhat membranaceous, umbilicate, then infundibuliform, usually perforated at the base, and opening into the cavity of the stem, floccosely rugose on the surface, yellowish-gray or smoky when moist, pale when dry, becoming wavy. The gills are decurrent, thick, distant, regularly forked, straight, yellow or cenereous, at length pruinose. The stem is two to three inches long, hollow, even, smooth, always yellow, slightly thickened at the base. The spores are elliptical, smooth, 9–10×6µ. They grow on the ground, especially where wood has decayed and become a part of the ground. They also grow on decayed wood. They are found from July to October. Nyctalis. Fr. Nyctalis is from a Greek word meaning night. Pileus symmetrical, in some species bearing large conidia upon its surface. The gills are adnate or decurrent, thick, soft, margin obtuse. The stem is central, its substance continuous with the flesh of the pileus. The spores are colorless, smooth, elliptical or globose. Fries. Nyctalis asterophora. Fr.Asterophora means star-bearing. The pileus is about one-half inch broad, fleshy; conical, then hemispherical; flocculose and rather mealy, owing to the large, stellate conidia; whitish, then tinged with fawn-color. The gills are adnate, distant, narrow, somewhat forked, straight, dingy. The stem is about one-half inch long, slender, twisted, stuffed, white then brownish, rather mealy. The spores are elliptical, smooth, 3×2µ. Fries, Hym. I found, about the last of August, these plants growing on decaying specimens of Russula nigricans, along Ralston's Run, near Chillicothe. Hygrophorus. Fr.Hygrophorus is from two Greek words meaning bearing moisture. So called because the members of this genus may be known from their moist caps and the waxy nature of the gills, which distinguish them from all others. As in the Hygrophorus pratensis. Fr.The Pasture Hygrophorus. Edible. Pratensis, from pratum, a meadow. The pileus is one to two inches broad; when young almost hemispherical, then convex, turbinate or nearly flat, the center more or less convex, as if umbonate; margin often cracked, frequently contracted or lobed; white or various shades of yellow, buffish-reddish, or brownish. Flesh white, thick in the center, thin at the margin. The stem is stuffed, attenuated downwards. The gills are thick, distant, white or yellowish, bow-shaped, decurrent, and connected by vein-like folds. Spores are white, broadly elliptical, .00024 to .00028 inch long. The pasture hygrophorus is a small but rather stout-appearing mushroom. It grows on the ground in pastures, waste places, clearings, and thin woods, from July to September. Sometimes all white or gray. Var. cinereus, Fr. Pileus and gills gray. The stem whitish and slender. Var. pallidus, B. & Br. Pileus depressed, edge wavy, entirely pale ochre. This species differs mainly from H. leporinus in that the latter is quite floccose on the pileus. Hygrophorus eburneus. Bull.Shining White Hygrophorus. Edible. Eburneus is from ebur, ivory. The pileus is two to four inches broad, sometimes thin, sometimes somewhat compact, white; very viscid or glutinous in wet weather, and slippery to the touch; margin uneven, sometimes wavy; smooth, and shining. When young, the margin is incurved. The gills are firm, distant, straight, strongly decurrent, with vein-like elevations near the stem. The spores are white, rather long. The stem is unequal, sometimes long and sometimes short; stuffed, then hollow, tapering downward, punctate above with granular scales. Odor and taste are rather pleasant. It is found in woods and pastures in all parts of Ohio, but it is not plentiful anywhere. I have found it only in damp woods about Chillicothe. August to October. Hygrophorus cossus. Sow.Cossus, because it smells like the caterpillar, Cossus ligniperda. The pileus is small, quite viscid, shining when dry, white with a yellow tinge, edge naked, very strong-scented. The gills are somewhat decurrent, thin, distant, straight, firm. The stem is stuffed, nearly equal, scurvy-punctate upwards. Spores 8×4. Found in the woods. The strong smell will serve to identify the species. Hygrophorus chlorophanus. Fr. The Greenish-yellow Hygrophorus. Chlorophanus is from two Greek words, meaning appearing greenish-yellow. The pileus is one inch broad, commonly bright sulphur-yellow, sometimes scarlet-tinted, not changing color; slightly membranaceous, very fragile, often irregular, with the margin split or lobed, at first convex, then expanded; smooth, viscid, margin striate. The gills are emarginate, adnexed, quite ventricose, with a thin decurrent tooth, thin, subdistant, distinct, pale-yellow. The stem is two to three inches long, hollow, equal, round, viscid when moist, shining when dry, wholly unicolorous, rich light-yellow. The spores are slightly elliptical, 8×5µ. This species resembles in appearance H. ceraceus, but it can be identified by its emarginate gills and somewhat larger form. The plant has a wide distribution, having been found from the New England States through the Middle West. It is found in damp, mossy places from August to October. I have no doubt of its edibility. It has a mild and agreeable taste when eaten in the raw state. Hygrophorus cantharellus. Schw.Cantharellus means a small vase. The pileus is thin, convex, at length umbilicate, or centrally depressed, minutely squamulose, moist, bright red, becoming orange or yellow. The gills are distant, subarcuate, decurrent, yellow, sometimes tinged with vermilion. The stem is one to three inches long, smooth, equal, sub-solid, sometimes becoming hollow, concolorous, whitish within. Peck. I have found about Chillicothe a number of the varieties given by Dr. Peck. Var. flava. Pileus and stem pale yellow. Gills arcuate, strongly decurrent. Var. flavipes. Pileus red or reddish. Stem yellow. Var. flaviceps. Pileus yellow. Stem reddish or red. Var. rosea. Has the pileus expanded and margin wavy scalloped. Found from July to September. Hygrophorus coccineus. Fr.The Scarlet Hygrophorus. Edible. Coccineus, pertaining to scarlet. The pileus is thin, convex, obtuse, viscid, scarlet, growing pale, smooth, fragile. The gills are attached to the stem, with a decurrent tooth, connected by veins, variously shaded. The stem is hollow and compressed, rather even, not slippery, scarlet near the cap, yellow at the base. This plant when young is of a bright scarlet, but it soon shades into a light-yellow with advancing age. It is quite fragile and varies very greatly in size in different localities. Found in woods and pastures from July to October. Hygrophorus conicus. Fr.The Conical Hygrophorus. Edible. The pileus is one to two inches broad, acutely conical, submembranaceous, smooth, somewhat lobed, at length expanded, and rimose; turning black, as does the whole plant when broken or bruised; orange, yellow, scarlet, brown, dusky. The gills are free or adnexed, thick, attenuated, ventricose, yellowish with frequently a cinereous tinge, wavy, rather crowded. The stem is three to four inches long, hollow, cylindrical, fibrillose, striated, colored like the pileus, turning black when handled. This plant is quite fragile. It can be identified by its turning black when bruised. It sometimes appears early in the spring and continues till late in the fall. It is not abundant but is only occasionally found on the ground in woods and open places. Hygrophorus flavodiscus. Frost. Yellow-disked Hygrophorus. Edible. Figure 167.—Hygrophorus flavodiscus. Natural size. The gluten is shown connecting the margin of the cap to their stem. Flavodiscus means yellow-disked. The pileus is one-half to three inches broad, fleshy, convex or nearly plane, glabrous, very viscid or glutinous, white, pale-yellow or reddish-yellow in the center, flesh white. The gills are adnate or decurrent, subdistant, white, sometimes with a slight flesh-colored tint, the interspaces sometimes venose. The stem is one to three inches long, solid, subequal, very viscid, or glutinous, white at the top, white or yellowish elsewhere. The spores are elliptical, white, .00025 to .0003 of an inch long, .00016 to .0002 broad. These mushrooms make a delicious dish. The specimens in the photograph were gathered at West Gloucester, Mass., by Mrs. E. B. Blackford, of Boston. I have found them about Chillicothe. They are very viscid, as the plants in Figure 167 will show. The caps are thick and the margin inrolled. They are found in October and November. Hygrophorus speciosus. Pk. Showy Hygrophorus. Edible. Speciosus means beautiful, showy; so called from the scarlet color of the umbo. The pileus is one to two inches in diameter, broadly convex, often with small central umbo; glabrous, very viscid or glutinous when moist; yellow, usually bright red or scarlet in the center; flesh white, yellow under the thin, separable pellicle. The gills are distant, decurrent, white, or slightly tinged with yellow. The stem is two to four inches long, nearly equal, solid, viscid, slightly fibrillose, whitish or yellowish. The spores are elliptic, .0003 of an inch long, .0002 broad. Peck. This is a very beautiful and showy plant. It grows in swampy places and under tamarack trees. The specimens in Figure 168 were found in Massachusetts by Mrs. Blackford, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. It is found in September and August. Hygrophorus fuligineus. Frost. Sooty Hygrophorus. Edible. Fuligineus means sooty or smoky. The pileus is one to four inches broad, convex or nearly plane, glabrous, very viscid or glutinous, grayish-brown or fuliginous, the disk often darker or almost black. The gills are subdistant, adnate or decurrent, white. The stem is two to four inches long, solid, viscid or glutinous, white or whitish. The spores are elliptic, .0003 to .00035 of an inch long, .0002 broad. Peck, No. 4, Vol. 3. This species is found frequently associated with H. flavodiscus, which it resembles very closely, save in color. When moist, the cap and stems are covered with a thick coating of gluten, and when the caps are dry this gives them a varnished appearance. I do not find them abundant here. The plants in Figure 169 were found by Mrs. Blackford near West Gloucester, Mass. They are found October and November. Hygrophorus caprinus. Scop. The Goat Hygrophorus. Edible. Caprinus means belonging to a goat; it is so called from the fibrils resembling goat's hair. The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, fragile, conical, then flattened and umbonate, rather wavy, sooty, fibrillose. The gills are very broad, quite distant, deeply decurrent, white, then glaucous. The stem is two to four inches long, solid, fibrillose, sooty, often streaked or striate, as will be seen in Figure 169, page 212. The spores are 10×7–8µ. These plants grow in pine woods in company with H. fuligineus and H. flavodiscus. The specimen on the right in Figure 169 was found near West Gloucester, Mass., by Mrs. Blackford. It is found from September till hard frost. Hygrophorus LaurÆ. Morg.This is a beautiful plant, found among leaves, and so completely covered with particles of leaves and soil that it is hard to clean them off. They are very viscid, both stem and cap. They are only occasionally found in our state. The pileus is two to three inches broad; reddish-brown in the center, shading to a very light tan on the edges; very viscid; convex; margin at first slightly incurved, then expanded. The gills are adnate, slightly decurrent, not crowded, unequal, yellowish. The stem is stuffed, tapering downward, whitish, furfuraceous near the cap. I have found this plant in Poke Hollow, near Chillicothe, on several occasions, also in Gallia county, Ohio. I have not found it elsewhere in this vicinity. While I have not found it in sufficient quantity to try it I have no doubt of its edible qualities. I have found it only about the last of September and the first of October. It grows in rather dense woods on the north sides of the hills, where it is constantly shaded and damp. Named in honor of Prof. Morgan's wife. Hygrophorus micropus. Pk.Short-stemmed Hygrophorus. Edible. Micropus means short-stemmed. The pileus is thin, fragile, convex or centrally depressed, umbilicate; silky, gray, often with one or two narrow zones on the margin; taste and odor farinaceous. The gills are narrow, close, adnate or slightly decurrent, gray, becoming salmon color with age. The stem is short, solid or with a slight cavity, often slightly thickened at the top, pruinose, gray, with a white, mycelioid tomentum at the base. The spores are angular, uninucleate, salmon color, .0003–.0004 of an inch long, .00025–.0003 broad. Peck. This is a very small plant and not frequently found, but widely distributed. I have always found it in open grassy places during damp weather. The caps are thin, often markedly depressed. Its silky appearance and narrow zones on the margin of the cap, together with its rather close gills, broadly attached to the stem, gray at first, then salmon color, will identify the species. July to September. Hygrophorus miniatus. Fr. The Vermilion Hygrophorus. Edible. Figure 171.—Hygrophorus miniatus. Cap and stems vermilion-red. Gills yellowish and tinged with bright-red. Miniatus is from minium, red lead. This is a small but a very common species, highly colored and very attractive. The pileus and the stem are bright red and often vermilion. The pileus is at first convex, but, when fully expanded, it is nearly or quite flat, and in wet weather it is even concave by the elevation of the margin, smooth or minutely scaly, often umbilicate. Its color varies from a bright red or vermilion or blood-red to pale orange hues. The gills are yellow and frequently strongly tinged with red, distant, attached to the stem, and sometimes notched. The stem is usually short and slender, colored like, or a little paler, than the cap; solid, when young, but becoming stuffed or hollow with age. The spores are elliptical, white, 8µ long. The Vermilion mushroom grows in woods and in open fields. It is more plentiful in wet weather. It seems to grow best where chestnut logs have decayed. It can be found in such places in sufficient quantities to eat. Few mushrooms are more tender or have a more delicate flavor. There are two other species having red caps, Hygrophorus coccineus and H. puniceus, but both are edible and no harm could come from any mistake. They are found from June to October. Those in Figure 171 were found in Poke Hollow September 29. Hygrophorus miniatus sphagnophilus. Pk. Sphagnophilus means sphagnum-loving, so called because it is found growing on sphagnum. The pileus is broadly convex, subumbilicate, red. The gills are adnate, whitish, becoming yellowish or sometimes tinged with red, occasionally red on the edge. The stem is colored like the pileus, whitish at the base, both it and the pileus are very fragile. This is more fragile than the typical form and retains its color better in drying. Peck, 43d Rep. This is a beautiful plant growing, as Figure 172 shows, on the lower dead portion of the stems of bog moss or sphagnum. It grows very abundantly in Buckeye Lake. The photograph was made by Dr. Kellerman. It is found from July to October. These plants cook readily, have an excellent flavor and because of their color make an inviting dish. I have eaten heartily of them several times. Hygrophorus marginatus. Pk. Margined Hygrophorus. Edible. Marginatus, so called from the frequent vermilion edged gills. The pileus is thin, fragile, convex, subcampanulate or nearly plane, often irregular, sometimes broadly umbonate, glabrous, shining, striatulate on the margin, bright golden-yellow. The gills are rather broad, subdistant, ventricose, emarginate, adnexed, yellow, sometimes becoming orange or vermilion on the edge, interspaces venose. The stem is fragile, glabrous, often flexous, compressed or irregular, hollow, pale-yellow; spores broadly elliptic, .00024–.0003 of an inch long, .00024–.0002 broad. Peck, N. Y., 1906. This plant has the most beautiful yellow I have ever seen in a mushroom. This bright golden yellow and the orange or vermilion color on the margin or edge of the gills will always characterize the plant. The specimen in Figure 173 were sent to me by Mrs. Blackford, of Boston, Mass., the last of August. They were not in the best condition when photographed. Hygrophorus ceraceus. Fr.The Wax-like Hygrophorus. Edible. Ceraceus is from cera, wax. The pileus is one inch and less broad, waxy-yellow, shining, fragile, thin, occasionally subumbonate, slightly fleshy, slightly striate. The gills are firmly attached to the stem, subdecurrent, distant, broad, ventricose often connected with veins, almost triangular, yellow. The stem is one to two inches long, hollow, often unequal, flexuous, sometimes compressed, yellow, occasionally orange at the base, waxy. The spores 8×6µ. This is a very beautiful, fragile plant, usually found growing in the grass. It is easily distinguished by its waxy yellow color. The plants photographed were found on the Cemetery Hill. They are found from August to October. Hygrophorus virgineus. Wulf. The Ivory-Capped Hygrophorus. Edible. Figure 175.—Hygrophorus virgineus. Two-thirds natural size. Entire plant white. Virgineus, virgin; so called from its whiteness. The pileus is fleshy, convex, then plane, obtuse, at length depressed; moist, sometimes cracked into patches, floccose when dry. The gills are decurrent, distant, rather thick, often forked. The stem is curt, stuffed, firm, attenuated at the base, externally becoming even and naked. Spores 12×5–6µ. Fries. The plant is wholly white and never large. It is easily confounded with H. niveus and sometimes difficult to distinguish from the white forms of H. pratensis. This plant is quite common in pastures, both in the spring and in the fall. I found the specimens in Figure 175 on Cemetery Hill under the pine trees on November 11. They were photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Hygrophorus niveus. The Snow-White Hygrophorus. Edible. Niveus, snow-white. The plant is wholly white. The pileus is scarcely one inch broad, somewhat membranaceous, bell-shaped, convex, then umbilicate, smooth, striate, viscid when moist, not cracked when dry, flesh thin, everywhere equal. The gills are decurrent, thin, distant, acute, quite entire. The stem is hollow, thin, equal, smooth. Spores 7×4µ. Found in pastures. Hygrophorus sordidus. Pk.The Dingy Hygrophorus. Edible. Sordidus means a dirty white, or dingy, referring to the color of the caps, so made by adhering earth. The pileus is broadly convex or nearly plane, glabrous, slightly viscid, white, but usually defiled by adhering dirt; the margin at first strongly involute, then spreading or reflexed; flesh firm when young, tough when old. The gills are subdistant, adnate, or decurrent, white or creamy-white. The stem is five to ten Cm. long, firm, solid, white. The spores are elliptical, 6.5–7.5×4–5µ. Peck. The specimens I found were clear white, growing among leaves and were especially free from soil. The stems were short and were inclined to be slightly ventricose. Dr. Peck says that this "species is distinguished from H. penarius by its clear white color, though this is commonly obscured by the adhering dirt that is carried up in the growth of the fungus." The young, growing plants were strongly involute but the older plants were reflexed, giving the plants a funnel-shaped appearance and giving the gills a much stronger decurrent appearance. Found October 26th. Hygrophorus serotinus. Pk.Late Hygrophorus. Serotinus means late. So called because it is late in the season. Pileus is fleshy but thin, convex or nearly plane, often with the thin margin curved upward, glabrous or with a few obscure innate fibrils, reddish in the center, whitish on the margin, flesh white, taste mild. The gills are thin, subdistant, adnate or decurrent, white, the interspaces slightly venose. The stem is equal, stuffed or hollow, glabrous, whitish. The spores are white, elliptic, .0003 of an inch long, .0002 broad. Pileus is 8–15 lines broad; stem about 1 inch long, 1.5–2.5 lines thick. Peck. Some specimens of this species were sent to me from Boston by Mrs. Blackford, but after a careful study of them I was unable to place them. She then sent them to Dr. Peck, who gave them their very appropriate name. Those in Figure 177 were sent me in December, 1907. They grow a number in the same locality and frequently in close groups or tufts. They seem to delight in oak and pine woods. Dr. Peck observes that this species is similar to Hygrophorus queletii, Bres., both in size and color, but the general characteristics of the plants do not agree. He also says it is similar in size and color to H. subrufescens, Pk., but differs materially in the specific description. Panus. Fr.Panus means swelling. The species under this genus are leathery plants, having the stems lateral and sometimes wanting. They dry up but revive with moisture. The gills are simple and thinner than the Lentinus, but with an entire, acute edge. There are a few species which give a phosphorescent light when growing on decayed logs. The genus closely resembles Lentinus but can be readily recognized on account of the smooth edged gills. A number of good authorities do not separate them but give both under the name Lentinus. This genus abounds wherever there are stumps and fallen timber. Panus stypticus. Fr. The Styptic Panus. Poisonous. Photo by C. G. Lloyd. Figure 178.—Panus stypticus. Two-thirds natural size. Cinnamon color. Stypticus means astringent, styptic. The pileus is coriaceous, kidney-shaped, cinnamon-color, growing pale, cuticle breaking up into scales, margin entire or lobed, surface nearly even, sometimes zoned. The gills are thin, crowded, connected by veins, of same color as cap, determinate, quite narrow. The stem is lateral, quite short, swollen above, solid, compressed, pruinose, paler than the gills. It is found very plentifully on decayed logs and stumps, and at times it is quite phosphorescent in its manifestations. It has an extremely unpleasant astringent taste. One might as well eat an Indian turnip as this species. Just a taste will betray it. Found from fall to winter. Panus strigosus. B. & C.The Hairy Panus. Edible. Strigosus, covered with stiff hairs. The pileus is sometimes quite large, eccentric, covered with stiff hairs, margin thin, white. The gills are broad, distant, decurrent, straw-color. The stem is stout, two to four inches long, hairy like the pileus. The favorite host of this species is an apple tree. I found a beautiful cluster on an apple tree in Chillicothe. Its creamy whiteness and hairy cap and short hairy stem will distinguish it from all other tree fungi. It is edible when young, but soon becomes woody. Panus conchatus. Fr.The Shell Panus. Conchatus means shell-shaped. The pileus is thin, unequal, tough, fleshy, eccentric, dimidiate; cinnamon, then pale; becoming scaly; flaccid; margin often lobed. The gills are narrow, forming decurrent lines on the stem, often branched, pinkish, then ochre. The stem is short, unequal, solid, rather pale, base downy. This species will frequently be found imbricated and very generally confluent. Its shell-like form, its tough substance, and its thin pileus are its distinguishing marks. The taste is pleasant but its substance very tough. Found from September to frost. Panus rudis. Fr.This is a very plentiful plant about Chillicothe and is found throughout the United States, although it is a rare plant in Europe. It is generally given in American Mycology under the name Lentinus Lecomtei. It grows on logs and stumps. The form of the plant is quite different when growing on the top of a log or a stump, from those springing from the side. Those in the extreme left of Figure 179 grew on the side of the log, while those in the center grew on the top, in which case the plant has usually a funnel-shaped appearance. The pileus is tough, reddish or reddish-brown, depressed, sinuate, bristling with tufts of hair, the margin quite strongly incurved, cÆspitose. The gills are narrow and crowded, decurrent, considerably paler than the cap. The stem is short, hairy, tawny; sometimes the stem is almost obsolete. There is a slight tinge of bitterness in the plant when raw, but in cooking this disappears. When prepared for food it should be chopped fine and well cooked. It can be dried for winter use. It is found from spring to late fall. Panus torulosus. Fr. The Twisted Panus. Edible. Torulosus means a tuft of hair. The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, then tough, coriaceous; plane, then funnel-shaped, or dimidiate; even; smooth; almost flesh color, varying to reddish-livid, sometimes violet tinted. The gills are decurrent, rather distant, distinct behind, separate, simple, ruddy, then tan-colored. The stem is short, stout, oblique, gray, covered with a violaceous down. The spores are 6×3µ. The plant is variable both in form and color. Sometimes shaded very slightly with pink. It is not very common here. I found some very fine specimens growing on a log near Spider Bridge, Chillicothe. It is edible but quite tough. Panus levis. B. & C. The Light Panus. Edible. Levis, light. Pileus two to three inches broad, orbicular, somewhat depressed, white, covered with a dense mat of hair; margin inflexed and marked by triangular ridges. The gills are broad, entire, decurrent. The stem is two to three inches long, attenuated upward, eccentric, lateral, solid, hairy below like the pileus. The spores are white. This certainly is a very beautiful plant and will hold the attention of the collector. It is not common with us. I have found it only on hickory logs. It is said to be of good flavor and to cook readily. Lentinus. Fr.Lentinus means tough. The pileus is fleshy, corky, tough, hard and dry, reviving when moist. The stem is central or lateral and often wanting, but when present is continuous with the cap. The gills are tough, unequal, thin, normally toothed, decurrent more or less, margin acute. The spores are smooth, white, orbicular. All the species, so far as I know, grow on wood. They assume a great variety of forms. This genus is very closely related to Panus in the dry, coriaceous nature of the pileus and the gills, but it can be readily recognized by the toothed margin of the gills. Lentinus vulpinus. Fr.Strong-Scented Vulpinus. Vulpinus is from vulpes, a fox. This is quite a large, massive plant, growing in a sessile and imbricated manner. It has appeared in large quantities for the past four years on an elm, very slightly decayed, but in quite a damp and dark place. The reader will get some idea of the size of the whole plant in Figure 181 if he will consider each pileus to be five to six inches broad. They are built up one on top of another, overlapping each other like shingles on a roof. The pileus is fleshy but tough, shell-shaped, connate behind, longitudinally rough, costate, corrugate, tan-colored, and the margin is strongly incurved. The gills are broad, nearly white, flesh-colored near the base, coarsely toothed. The stem is usually obsolete, yet in some cases it is apparent. The spores are almost round and very small, .00006 inch in diameter. In all plants which I have found the odor is somewhat strong and the taste is pungent. It grows in the woods in September and October. Lentinus lepideus. Fr.The Scaly Lentinus. Edible. Lepideus is from lepis, a scale. The pileus is fleshy, compact, convex, then depressed, unequal, broken up in dark scales, flesh white, tough. The gills are sinuate, decurrent, broad, torn, transversely striate, whitish, or with white edges, irregularly toothed. The stem is stout, central or lateral, tomentose or scaly, often crooked, rooting, whitish, solid, equal or tapering at the base. This is a peculiar plant, growing sometimes to immense forms. It grows on wood, seemingly to be partial to railroad ties to which its Lentinus cochleatus. Fr.The Spiral-Formed Lentinus. Edible. Cochleatus is from cochlea, a snail, from resembling its shell. The pileus is two to three inches broad, tough, flaccid, irregular, depressed, sometimes funnel-shaped, sometimes lobed or contorted, flesh-color, becoming pale. The gills are crowded, beautifully serrated, pinkish-white. The stem is solid, length variable, sometimes central, frequently eccentric, often lateral, smooth. The spores are nearly round, 4µ. This is a Lenzites. Fr. Lenzites, named after Lenz, a German botanist. The pileus is corky, dimidiate, sessile. The gills are corky, firm, unequal, branched, edge obtuse. It is very common in the woods, sometimes almost covering stumps and logs. Lenzites betulina. Fr.Betulina, from betula, a birch. This has a somewhat corky, leathery cap, firm and without zones, woolly, sessile, deeply grooved concentrically, margin of the same color. The gills are radial, somewhat branching, and coming together again, sordid white or tan-color. This species is wide-spread and is quite variable. It grows in the form of brackets. Figure 185 was photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Lenzites separia. Fr. The Chocolate Lenzites. The pileus is corky, leathery shells, with the upper surface marked with rough zones of various shades of brown; margin yellowish. The gills are rather thick, branched, one running into another; yellowish. Stem obsolete. Growing on limbs and branches, especially of the fir tree. Lenzites flaccida. Fr.Flaccid Lenzites. Flaccida means limp, flaccid. Pileus is coriaceous, thin, flaccid, unequal, hairy, zoned, pallid, more or less flabelliform, imbricated. The gills are broad, crowded, straight, unequal, branched, white, becoming pallid. Spores are 5×7. This is a very attractive plant and quite common. It runs almost imperceptibly into Lenzites betulina. It is found on stumps and trunks. Lenzites vialis. Pk.Pileus is corky, almost woody, firm, zoned. Gills are thick, firm, serpentine. Stem, none. Schizophyllum. Fr.Schizophyllum is from two Greek words, meaning to split, and a leaf. The pileus is fleshy and arid. The gills are corky, fan-like, branched, united above by the tomentose pellicle, bifid, split longitudinally at the edge. The spores somewhat round and white. The two lips of the split edge of the gills are commonly revolute. This genus is far removed from the type of Agaricini. It grows on wood and is very common. Stevenson. Schizophyllum commune. Fr. This is a very common plant, growing in the woods on branches and decayed wood, where it can be found in both winter and summer. The pileus is thin, adnate behind, somewhat extended, more or less fan-shaped or kidney-shaped, simple, often much lobed, narrowed behind to the point of attachment; whitish, downy, then strigose. The gills are radiating, gray, then brownish-purple, and sometimes white, branched, split along the edges and rather deeply rolled backwards. The spores are nearly round, 5–6µ. This is a very common species all over the world. I found it in the winter of 1907 on decayed shade-trees along the streets of Chillicothe. It seems to be partial to maple timber. Some call this S. alneum. It is very easily identified from its purple gills being split. Trogia. Fr. Trogia is so called in honor of the Swiss botanist, Trog. The pileus is nearly membranaceous, soft, quite tough, flaccid, dry, flexible, fibrillose, reviving when moist. The gills are fold-like, venose, narrow, irregular, crisped. Trogia crispa. Fr.Crispa means crisp or curled. The pileus tough, cup-shaped, reflexed, lobed, villous, whitish or reddish toward the attachment, often tan-colored. The gills are quite narrow, vein-like, irregular, more or less branched, blunt on the edge, white or bluish-gray, quite crisped, edge not channeled. The caps are usually very much crowded and imbricated. It revives during wet weather and is found throughout the year, generally on beech limbs in our woods. |
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