The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 91

_Stereum rugosum. Fr._

Rugosum means full of wrinkles.

Broadly effused, sometimes shortly reflexed; coriaceous, at length thick and rigid; pileus at length smooth, brownish.

The hymenium is a pale grayish-yellow, changing slightly to a red when bruised, pruinose. The spores are cylindrico-elliptical, straight, 11-124-5. _Ma.s.see._

This is quite variable in form, and agrees with S. sanguinolentum in becoming red when bruised; but it is thicker and more rigid in substance, its pores are straighter and larger.

_Stereum purpureum. Pers._

Purpureum means purple, from the color of the plant.

Coriaceous but pliant, effuso-reflexed, more or less imbricated, tomentose, zoned, whitish or pallid.

The hymenium is naked, smooth, even; in color a pale clear purple, becoming dingy ochraceous, with only a tinge of purple, when dry. The spores are elliptical, 7-84.

I found the plant to be very abundant in December and January, in 1906-7, on soft wood corded up at the paper mill in Chillicothe, the weather being mild and damp.

_Stereum compactum._

Broadly effused, coriaceous, often imbricated and often laterally joined, pileus thin, zoned, finely strigose, the zones grayish-white and cinnamon-brown.

The hymenium is smooth, cream-white.

This species is found on decayed limbs and trunks of trees.

_Hymenochaete. Lev._

Hymenochaete is from two Greek words, _hymen_, a membrane; _chaete_, a bristle.

In this genus the cap or pileus may be attached to the host by a central stem, or at one side, but most frequently upon its back. The genus is known by the velvety or bristly appearance of the fruiting surface, due to smooth, projecting, thick-walled cells. I have found several species but have only been sure of three.

_Hymenochaete rubiginosa. (Schr.) Lev._

Rubiginosa means full of rust, so called from the color of the plant.

The pileus is rigid, coriaceous, resupinate, effused, reflexed, the lower margin generally adhering firmly, somewhat fasciated; velvety, rubiginous or rusty in color, then becoming smooth and bright brown, the intermediate stratum tawny-ferruginous. The hymenium ferruginous and velvety. It is found here upon soft woods such as chestnut stumps and willow.

_Hymenochaete Curtisii. Berk._

Curtisii is named in honor of Mr. Curtis.

The pileus is coriaceous, firm, resupinate, effused, reflexed, brown, slightly sulcate; the hymenium velvety with brown bristles. This is common on partially decayed oak branches in the woods.

_Hymenochaete corrugata. Berk._

Corrugata means bearing wrinkles or folds.

The pileus is coriaceous, effused, closely adnate, indeterminate, cinnamon colored, cracked and corrugated when dry, which gives rise to its name. The bristles are seen, under the microscope, to be joined.

Found in the woods on partially decayed branches.

CHAPTER X.

CLAVARIACEAE--CORAL FUNGI.

Hymenium not distinct from the hymenoph.o.r.e, covering entire outer surface, somewhat fleshy, not coriaceous; vertical, simple or branched.

_Fries._

Most of the species grow on the ground or on well rotted logs. The following genera are included here:

Spara.s.sis--Fleshy, much branched, branches compressed, plate-like.

Clavaria--Fleshy, simple or branched, typically round.

Calocera--Gelatinous, then horn-like.

Typhula--Simple or club-shaped, rigid when dry, usually small.

_Spara.s.sis. Fr._

Spara.s.sis, to tear in pieces. The species are fleshy, branched with plate-like branches, composed of two plates, fertile on both sides.

_Spara.s.sis Herbstii. Pk._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 384.--Spara.s.sis Herbstii.]

This is a plant very much branched, forming tufts four to five inches high, and five to six inches broad; whitish, inclining to creamy-yellow; tough, moist; the branches numerous, thin, flattened, concrescent, dilated above, spathulate or fan-shaped, often somewhat longitudinally curved or wavy; mostly uniformly colored, rarely with a few indistinct, nearly concolorous, transverse zones near the broad, entire apices.

The spores are globose, or broadly elliptical, .0002 to .00025 inch long, .00016 to .0002 broad.

This species was first found by the late Dr. William Herbst of Trexlertown, Pa., and was named by Dr. Peck in his honor. The specimen in Figure 384 was found at Trexlertown, Pa., and photographed by Mr. C.

G. Lloyd. The plant delights in open oak woods, and is found through August and September. It is edible and quite good.

_Spara.s.sis crispa. Fr._

_Crispus_, curly. This is a beautiful rosette-like plant, growing quite large at times, very much branched, whitish, oyster-colored, or pale yellow; branches intricate, flat and leaf-like, having a spore surface on both sides. The entire plant forms a large round ma.s.s with its leaf-like surface variously curled, folded, and lobed, with a crest-like margin, and springing from a well-marked root, most of which is buried in the ground.

No one will have any trouble to recognize it, having once seen its photograph. I found the plant quite frequently, in the woods about Bowling Green. It is not simply good, but very good.