Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc. Part 15

In the rosy-spored agarics belonging to this genus the gills are decurrent, that is, extend for some distance down on the stem. The stem is fleshy. The gills are white at first and become pink or salmon color as the plants mature, and the spores take on their characteristic color.

The plants should thus not be confused with any of the species of _Agaricus_ to which the common mushroom belongs, since in those species the gills become dark brown or blackish when mature. The genus corresponds with _c.l.i.tocybe_ among the white-spored ones.

=c.l.i.topilus prunulus= Scop. =Edible.=--This species grows on the ground in the woods from mid-summer to autumn. It is not very common, but sometimes appears in considerable quant.i.ties at one place. During the autumn of 1898 quite a large number of specimens were found in a woods near Ithaca, growing on the ground around an old stump. The plants are 3--8 cm. high, the cap 5--10 cm. broad, and stem 1--2 cm. in thickness.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE 44, FIGURE 138.--c.l.i.topilus prunulus, cap whitish or dark gray, gills flesh color (natural size). Copyright.]

The =pileus= is fleshy, firm, convex and becoming nearly plane, and sometimes as the plants become old the center may be slightly depressed. It is whitish in color, or dark gray, or with a leaden tint, dry, sometimes with a distinct bloom on the surface, and the margin is often wavy. The cap is sometimes produced more on one side than on the other. The =gills= are not close, at first whitish, then salmon colored as the spores mature, and they are decurrent as is characteristic of the genus. The =spores= are elliptical or nearly so, and measure 10--12 long.

Figure 138 is from plants collected near Ithaca, in the autumn of 1898.

This species is considered to be one of the excellent mushrooms for food. When fresh it has a mealy odor and taste, as do several of the species of this genus. It is known as the prune mushroom.

=c.l.i.topilus orcella= Bull. =Edible.=--This plant is sometimes spoken of as the sweet-bread mushroom. It is much like the prune mushroom just described, in odor and taste, and sometimes resembles it in form and other characters. It is white in color, and the plants are usually considerably smaller, and the pileus is, according to my observations, sometimes more irregular, lobed and wavy on the margin. The flesh is also softer, and the cap is said to be slightly viscid in wet weather.

The plant grows in the woods and sometimes in open fields.

ENTOLOMA Fr.

The volva and annulus are absent in this genus, the spores are rosy, the gills adnate to sinuate or adnexed, easily separating from the stem in some species. The stem is fleshy or fibrous, sometimes waxy, and the pileus is fleshy with the margin incurved, especially when young. The spores are prominently angular. The genus corresponds with _Tricholoma_ of the white-spored agarics, and also with _Hebeloma_ and _Inocybe_ of the ochre-spored ones. _Entoloma repandum_ Bull., is an _Inocybe_ [_I.

repandum_ (Bull.) Bres.] and has angular spores resembling those of an _Entoloma_, but the spores are not rosy.

=Entoloma jubatum= Fr.--Growing on the ground in woods. The plants are 5--10 cm. high, the cap 3--6 cm. broad, and the stem 3--6 mm. in thickness.

The =pileus= is conic in some plants, to convex and umbonate, thin, minutely scaly with blackish hairy scales, dull heliotrope purple, darker on the umbo. The =gills= are vinaceous rufus to deep flesh color, strongly sinuate, and irregularly notched along the edge. The =spores= are irregularly oval to short oblong, coa.r.s.ely angular, with an oil drop, 5--7 angled, 7--11 6--7 . The =stem= is of the same color as the pileus, sometimes deeply rooting, hollow. Figure 139 is from plants (No. 4000, C. U. herbarium) collected at Blowing Rock, N. C., during September, 1899.

=Entoloma grayanum= Pk.--This plant grows on the ground in woods. It is from 6--8 cm. high, the cap is 3--6 cm. broad, and the stem 4--6 mm. in thickness.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 139.--Entoloma jubatum. Entire plant dull heliotrope purple, gills later flesh color (natural size). Copyright.]

The =pileus= is convex to expanded, sometimes broadly umbonate, drab in color, the surface wrinkled or rugose, and watery in appearance. The flesh is thin and the margin incurved. The =gills= are first drab in color, but lighter than the pileus, becoming pinkish in age. The =spores= on paper are very light salmon color. They are globose or rounded in outline, 5--7 angled, with an oil globule, 8--10 in diameter. The =stem= is the same color as the pileus, but lighter, striate, hollow, somewhat twisted, and enlarged below. Figure 140 is from plants (No. 3998, C. U. herbarium) collected at Blowing Rock, N.

C., during September, 1899.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 140.--Entoloma grayanum. Cap and stem drab, gills flesh color (natural size). Copyright.]

=Entoloma strictius= Pk.--The plants grow in gra.s.sy places, pastures, etc. They are cl.u.s.tered, sometimes two or three joined at the base of the stem. They are 7--10 cm. high, the caps 2--4 cm. broad, and the stems 3--6 mm. in thickness.

The =pileus= is convex, the disk expanded, and the margin incurved and more or less wavy or repand on the extreme edge. It is umbonate at the center with usually a slight depression around the umbo, smooth, watery (hygrophanous) in appearance, not viscid, of an umber color, shining, faintly and closely striate on the margin. In drying the surface of the pileus loses some of its dark umber color and presents a silvery sheen.

The flesh is fibrous and umber color also. The =gills= are grayish white, then tinged with flesh color, slightly sinuate, the longer ones somewhat broader in the middle (ventricose), rather distant, and quite thick as seen in cross section, the center of the gill (trama) presenting parallel threads. The sub-hymenium is very thin and composed of small cells; the =basidia= are clavate, 25--30 9--10 , and four-spored. The =spores= are dull rose color on paper, subgloblose, 5--8 in diameter, angular with 5--6 angles as seen from one side. The =stem= is the same color as the pileus, but considerably lighter. It is hollow with white fibers within, fibrous striate on the surface, twisted, brittle, and somewhat cartilaginous, partly snapping, but holding by fibers in places, cylindrical, even, ascending, with delicate white fibers covering the lower end.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 141.--Entoloma strictius. Cap umber or smoky, stem paler, gills grayish, then flesh color (natural size). Copyright.]

Figure 141 is from plants (No. 2461, C. U. herbarium) collected near Ithaca, October, 1898.

LEPTONIA Fr.

In _Leptonia_ the stem is cartilaginous, hollow or stuffed, smooth and somewhat shining. The pileus is thin, umbilicate or with the center darker, the surface hairy or scaly, and the margin at first incurved.

The gills are adnate or adnexed at first, and easily separating from the stem in age. Many of the species are bright colored.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 142.--Leptonia asprella. Cap hair brown (mouse colored), minute dark scales at center, stem same color, but sometimes reddish brown, green or blue, gills flesh color.]

=Leptonia asprella= Fr.--This species occurs on the ground in woods or in open gra.s.sy places. The plants are 3--5 cm. high, the cap 2--4 cm.

broad, and the stem 2--3 mm. in thickness.

The =pileus= is convex, then more or less expanded, umbilicate, rarely umbonate, hair brown (mouse colored), with dark scales on the center and minute scales over the surface, striate.

The =gills= are sinuate to adnexed. The =spores= are strongly 5--6 angled, 10--12 8--10 . The =stem= is smooth, even, usually the same color as the cap, but sometimes it is reddish brown, green, or blue.

Figure 142 is from plants (No. 3996, C. U. herbarium) collected at Blowing Rock, N. C., during September, 1899.

=Leptonia incana= Fr., is a more common species, and is characterized by an odor of mice.

ECCILIA Fr.

The genus _Eccilia_ corresponds with _Omphalia_ of the white-spored agarics. The stem is cartilaginous, hollow or stuffed. The pileus is thin and somewhat membranaceous, plane or depressed at the center, and the margin at first incurved. The gills are more or less decurrent.

=Eccilia polita= Pers.--This plant occurs on the ground in woods. It is 6--10 cm. high, the cap 2--4 cm. broad, and the stem is 3--4 mm. in thickness.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 143.--Eccilia polita. Cap hair brown to olive, stem lighter, gills flesh color, notched and irregular (natural size).

Copyright.]

The =pileus= is convex and umbilicate, somewhat membranaceous, smooth, watery in appearance, finely striate on the margin, hair brown to olive in color. The =gills= are decurrent. In the specimens ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 143 the gills are very irregular and many of them appear sinuate.

The =spores= are strongly 4--5 angled, some of them square, 10--12 in diameter, with a prominent mucro at one angle. The =stem= is cartilaginous, becoming hollow, lighter in color than the pileus, and somewhat enlarged below. Figure 143 is from plants (No. 3999, C. U.

herbarium) collected at Blowing Rock, N. C., during September, 1899.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE 45, FIGURE 144.--Claudopus nidulans, view of under side. Cap rich yellow or buff, gills flesh color (natural size).

Copyright.]

CLAUDOPUS W. Smith.

In the genus _Claudopus_, recognized by some, the pileus is eccentric or lateral, that is, the stem is attached near the side of the cap, or the cap is sessile and attached by one side to the wood on which the plant is growing; or the plants are resupinate, that is, they may be spread over the surface of the wood.

The genus is perhaps not well separated from some of the species of _Pleurotus_ with lilac spores like _P. sapidus_. In fact, a number of the species were formerly placed in _Pleurotus_, while others were placed in _Crepidotus_ among the ochre-spored agarics. Several species are reported from America. Peck in 39th Report N. Y. State Mus., p. 67, _et seq._, 1886, describes five species.

=Claudopus nidulans= (Pers.) Pk.--This is one of the very pretty agarics growing on dead branches and trunks during the autumn, and is widely distributed. It has, however, been placed in the genus _Pleurotus_, as _P. nidulans_. But because of the pink color of the spores in ma.s.s, Peck places it in the genus _Claudopus_, where Fries suggested it should go if removed from _Pleurotus_. It seems to be identical with _Pa.n.u.s dorsalis Bosc_. It is usually sessile and attached to the side of dead branches, logs, etc., in a shelving manner, or sometimes it is resupinate.

The =pileus= is sessile, or sometimes narrowed at the base into a short stem, the caps often numerous and crowded together in an overlapping or imbricate manner. It is nearly orbicular, or reniform, and 1--5 cm.

broad. The margin is at first involute. The surface is coa.r.s.ely hairy or tomentose, or scaly toward the margin, of a rich yellow or buff color.

It is soft, but rather tough in consistency. The =gills= are broad, orange yellow. The =spores=, pink in ma.s.s, are smooth, elongated, somewhat curved, 6--8 long.

Figure 144 is from plants (No. 2660, C. U. herbarium) collected in woods near Ithaca.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE OCHRE-SPORED AGARICS.