Figure 362.Figure362.—Hydnum repandum. Two-thirds natural size.
Figure362.—Hydnum repandum. Two-thirds natural size.
Repandum, bent backward, referring to the position of the stem and the cap. The pileus is two to four inches broad, generally irregular, with the stem eccentric; fleshy, brittle, convex or nearly plane, compact, more or less repand, nearly smooth; color varying from a pale buff—the typical hue—to a distinct brick-red; flesh creamy-white, inclining to turn brown when bruised; taste slightly aromatic, margin often wavy.
The spines are beneath the cap, one-quarter to one-third of an inch long, irregular, entire, pointed, rather easily detached, leaving small cavities in the fleshy cap, soft, creamy, becoming darker in older specimens.
The stem is short, thick, solid in young specimens, hollow in older specimens; paler than the pileus, rather rough, often set eccentrically into the cap; one to three inches long, sometimes thickened at the base, sometimes at the top. The spores are globose or a broad oval, with a small papilla at one end.
The usual color of the cap is buff, sometimes very pale, almost white. The color and smoothness of the cap have given rise to the name of "doe-skin mushroom." I found this plant occasionally in the woods about Salem, Ohio. It is very variable in size and color, and is quite fragile, growing alone or in clusters. It is one of our best mushrooms if properly cooked, and may be dried and kept for winter use. Found in woods and open places from July to October, sometimes earlier. Specimens in Figure 362 were found in Poke Hollow.
The Imbricated Hydnum. Edible.
Imbricatum is fromimbrex, a tile, referring to the surface of the cap being torn into triangular scales, seeming to overlap one another like shingles on a roof.
The pileus is fleshy, plane, slightly depressed, tessellated scaly, downy, not zoned, umber in color or brownish as if scorched, flesh dingy-white, taste slightly bitter when raw, margin round.
The spines are decurrent, entire, numerous, short, ashy-white, generally equal in length.
The stem is firm, short, thick, even, whitish. The spores are pale yellow-brown, rough.
The bitter taste entirely leaves the plant when well cooked. It seems to delight in pine or chestnut woods. I found it in Emmanuel Thomas' woods, east of Salem, Ohio. It is found from September to November.
The Hedgehog Hydnum. Edible.
Figure 363.Plate XLVIII.Figure 363.—Hydnum Erinaceum.Two-thirds natural size. The plant is entirely white when fresh.
Plate XLVIII.Figure 363.—Hydnum Erinaceum.Two-thirds natural size. The plant is entirely white when fresh.
Erinaceum, a hedgehog. Two to eight inches or more across. Tufts pendulous. White and yellowish-white becoming yellowish-brown; fleshy, elastic, tough, sometimes emarginate (broadly attached as if tuft were cut in two or sliced off where attached), a mass of latticed branches and fibrils. Spines one and a halfinches to four inches long, crowded, straight, equal, pendulous. The stem is sometimes rudimentary. The spores are subglobose, white, plain, 5–6µ.Peck, 22 N. Y. Report.
The spines when just starting are like small papillæ, as will be seen in Figure 364. Figure 363 represents a very fine specimen found on the end of a beech log, on the Huntington Hills, near Chillicothe. It made a meal for three families. I have found several basketfuls of this species on this same log, within the past few years. I have also found on the same log large specimens of Hydnum corralloides.
The photograph at the beginning of the book represents the largest specimen I ever saw of this species. It measured eighteen inches one way and thirteen the other, and was found on a maple tree on top of Mount Logan. It grew from a central stem, while the one in Figure 363 grew from a crack in a log, apparently without a stem. Plate I, Figure 1 was photographed after it was dried. The specimen can be seen in the Lloyd Library in Cincinnati. Found from July to October.
Figure 364.Figure 364.—Hydnum erinaceum. Young state.
Figure 364.—Hydnum erinaceum. Young state.
The Bear's Head Hydnum. Edible.
Figure 365.Figure 365.—Hydnum caput-ursi.
Figure 365.—Hydnum caput-ursi.
Caput-ursi means the head of a bear.
This is a very beautiful plant but not as common as some other species of Hydnum. It grows in very large pendulous tufts, as Figure 365 will indicate. It is found frequently on standing oak and maple trees, sometimes quite high up in the trees. It is more frequently found on logs and stumps, as are its kindred species. The plant arises out of the wood by a single stout stem which branches into many divisions, all of which are covered by long pendant spines. When it grows on top of a log or stump the spines are frequently erect. It is white, becoming in age yellow and brownish. It has a wide distribution through the states. As an esculent it is fine. The specimen in Figure 365 was found near Akron, Ohio, and was photographed by Mr. G. D. Smith. It is found from July to October.
The Medusa's Head Hydnum. Edible.
Figure 366.Figure 366.—Hydnum caput-Medusæ. One-third natural size.
Figure 366.—Hydnum caput-Medusæ. One-third natural size.
Caput-Medusæ, head of Medusa. This is a very striking plant when seen in the woods. The tufts are pendulous.The long wavy spines resemble the wavy locks of Medusa, hence the name. The long soft spines cover the entire surface of the fungus, which is divided into fleshy branches or divisions, each terminating in a crown of shorter drooping teeth.
The color at first is white, changing in age to a buff or a dark cream, which distinguishes it from H. caput-ursi. The taste is sweet and aromatic, sometimes slightly pungent. The stem is short and concealed beneath the growth.
I found this plant growing on a hickory log, on Lee's hill, near Chillicothe, from which came the specimen in Figure 366. I have also found it on elm and beech. Found from July to October.
It is both attractive and palatable.
The Coral-like Hydnum. Edible.
Figure 367.Figure367.—Hydnum coralloides. One-fourth natural size. Entire plant white.
Figure367.—Hydnum coralloides. One-fourth natural size. Entire plant white.
This species grows in large, beautiful tufts on decaying logs, in damp woods. It grows from a common stem, dividing into many branches and then sub-dividing into many long and coral-like shoots, composed wholly of attenuated interlacingbranches tapering to a point. The spines grow from one side of the flattened branches. It only needs to be seen once to be recognized as a coral-like mushroom. It is pure white at first, becoming creamy or dingy-white with age. It seems to delight in damp, hilly places, yet I found it to be abundant at Sidney, and to some extent about Bowling Green, Ohio, where it was very level. It is plentiful around Chillicothe. One hickory log, from which the specimen in the figure was taken, furnished me several basketfuls of this plant during three seasons, but at the end of the third season the log crumbled away, mycelium having literally consumed it. It is one of the most beautiful fungi that Dame Nature has been able to fashion. It is said that Elias Fries, when a mere boy, was so impressed with the sight of this beautiful fungus, which grew abundantly in his native woods in Sweden, that he resolved when he grew up to pursue the study of Mycology, which he did; and became one of the greatest authorities of the world in that part of Botany. In fact, he laid the foundation for the study of Basidiomycetes, and this beautiful little coral-like fungus was his inspiration.
It is found principally on beech, maple and hickory in damp woods, from July to frost. I have eaten it for years and esteem it among the best.
The Northern Hydnum.
Figure 368.Plate XLIX. Figure 368.—Hydnum septentrionale.Grew from a small opening in a living beech tree.
Plate XLIX. Figure 368.—Hydnum septentrionale.Grew from a small opening in a living beech tree.
Septentrionale, northern. This is a very large, fleshy, fibrous plant, growing usually upon logs and stumps.
There are many pilei growing one above the other, plane, margin straight, whole. The spines are crowded, slender and equal.
I have found a number of specimens about Chillicothe that would weigh from eight to ten pounds each. The plant is too woody to eat. Besides, it seems to have but little flavor. I have always found it on beech logs, from September to October.
A very large plant grows every year on a living beech tree on Cemetery Hill.
Figure 369.Figure369.—Hydnum spongiosipes. One-third natural size.
Figure369.—Hydnum spongiosipes. One-third natural size.
Spongiosipes means a sponge-like foot. Pileus convex, soft, spongy-tomentose, but tough in texture, rusty-brown, the lower stratum firmer and more fibrous, but concolorous.
The spines are slender, one to two lines long, rusty-brown, becoming darker with age.
The stem is hard and corky within, externally spongy-tomentose; coloredlike the pileus, the central substance often transversely zoned, especially near the top. Spores globose, nodulose, purplish-brown, 4–6 broad. Pileus one and a half to four inches broad. Stem one and a half to three inches long, and four to eight lines thick.Peck, 50th Rep.
It is found in the woods, quite plentifully, about Chillicothe. I referred it to H. ferrugineum for a long time, but not being satisfied, sent some specimens to Dr. Peck, who classified it as H. spongiosipes. It is edible but very tough. Found from July to October.
The Zoned Hydnum.
Figure 370.Figure370.—Hydnum zonatum.
Figure370.—Hydnum zonatum.
Zonatum, zoned. Ferruginous; pileus equally coriaceous, thin, expanded, subinfundibuliform, zoned, becoming smooth; tough, almost leathery in texture, having a surface of beautiful brown, silky lustre, and with radiating striæ; margin paler; sterile.
The stem is slender, nearly equal, floccose, bulbous at the base.
The spines are slender, pallid, then of the same color as the pileus, equal. The spores are rough, globose, pale, 4µ.
The spore-bearing spines are shown in the upper plants in Figure 370. Two of them show coalesced caps, though the stems are separate. This is the case with H. scrobiculatum and H. spongiosipes. The plants in Figure 370 were collected by the roadside in woods on the State Farm, near Lancaster, and photographed by Dr. Kellerman.
Figure 371.Figure371.—Hydnum scrobiculatum. Two-thirds natural-size.
Figure371.—Hydnum scrobiculatum. Two-thirds natural-size.
Scrobiculatum means marked with a ditch or trench; so called from the rough condition of the cap. The pileus is from one to three inches broad, corky, convex, then plane, sometimes slightly depressed; tough in texture, rusty-brown; the surface of the cap usually quite rough, marked with ridges or trenches, flesh ferruginous.
The spines are short, rusty-brown, becoming dark with age.
The stem is firm, one to two inches long, unequal, rusty-brown, often covered with a dense tomentum.
This species is very plentiful in our woods, among the leaves under beech trees. They grow in lines for some distance, the caps so close together that they are very frequently confluent. I found the plant at Salem, and in several other localities in the state, although I have never seen a description of it. Any one will be able to recognize it from Figure 371. It grows in the woods in August and September.
The pileus is fleshy, convex, glabrous, grayish or greenish-gray, flesh whitish with reddish stains, slowly becoming darker on exposure; aculeisubulate, 2–5 mm. long, yellowish-gray, becoming brown with age or drying; stem equal or stuffed, becoming hollow in drying; glabrous, colored like the pileus; spores brown, globose, verrucose, 8–10µ broad.
The pileus is 2.5–6 cm. broad; stem 2.5–4 cm. long, 3–4 mm. thick.
Mossy ground in low springy places in damp mixed woods. August.Peck.
This species was found at Ellis, Mass., and was sent to me through courtesy of the collector, Mrs. E. B. Blackford, Boston, for whom it was named.
Figure 372.Figure372.—Hydnum fennicum. Natural size, showing the teeth.
Figure372.—Hydnum fennicum. Natural size, showing the teeth.
Figure 373.Figure 373.—Hydnum fennicum. Natural size, showing the scaly cap.
Figure 373.—Hydnum fennicum. Natural size, showing the scaly cap.
Pileus fleshy, fragile, unequal; at first scaly, at length breaking up; reddish-brick color becoming darker; margin undulately lobed, two to four inches broad. Flesh white.
The teeth decurrent, equal, pointed, from white to dusky, about 4 mm. long.
The stem is sufficiently stout, unequal below, attenuated, flexuous or curved, smooth, of the same color as the cap, base acute, white tomentum outside, inside light pale-blue, or dark-gray.
The spores are ellipso-spheroidical or subspheroidical, rough, dusky, 4–6µ long, 3–5µ broad.
The plants in Figures 372 and 373 were found in Haynes' Hollow.
The plant is quite bitter and no amount of cooking will make it edible.
Found in woods from August to September.
Figure 374.Figure 374.—Hydnum adustum. Natural size.
Figure 374.—Hydnum adustum. Natural size.
Adustum means scorched, burned. The pileus is two to three inches broad, yellowish-white, blackish around the margin, coriaceous, slightly zoned; plane at first, then slightly depressed; tomentose, thin; frequently a plant will be found growing on the top of another plant. The spines are at first white, adnate, short, turning flesh-color and when dried almost black.
The stem is short, solid, tapering upward.
The plant is found growing in the woods on trunks and sticks after a rain in July, August, and September. It is not as plentiful as Hydnum spongiosipes and H. scrobiculatum. It is an attractive plant when seen in the woods.
Ochrey Hydnum.
Small, at first entirely resupinate, gradually reflexed, and somewhat repand, at first sparingly clothed with dirty-white down, at length rugose; one to three inches broad. The spines are short, entire, becoming pale.Fries.
It is occasionally found on decayed sticks in the woods.
Most Beautiful Hydnum.
Figure 375.Figure 375.—Hydnum pulcherrimum. Showing the under side of one of the pileoli.
Figure 375.—Hydnum pulcherrimum. Showing the under side of one of the pileoli.
Pulcherrimum is the superlative ofpulcher, beautiful.
The pileus is fleshy, somewhat fibrous, alutaceus, hirsute; the margin thin, entire, incurved.
The aculei short, crowded, equal.
It is found on beech wood, frequently imbricated and laterally confluent; a single pileus two to five inches in breadth and projecting two to four inches. The spines are rather short, not exceeding a quarter of an inch.
The entire plant is quite fibrous and has a hirsute surface. The color varies from whitish to alutaceous and yellowish. It is not common with us. Figure 375 represents one of the pilei showing the spines.
Fragrant Hydnum.
Graveolens means sweet-scented.
The pileus is coriaceous, thin, soft, not zoned, rugose, dark-brown, brown within, margin becoming whitish. The stem is slender and the spines are decurrent. The spines are short, gray.
The whole plant smells of melilot; even after it has been dried and kept for years it does not lose this scent.
I found two specimens in Haynes's Hollow.
Irpex, a harrow, so called from a fancied resemblance of its teeth to the teeth of a harrow. It grows on wood; toothed from the first, the teeth are connected at the base, firm, somewhat coriaceous, concrete with the pileus, arranged in rows or like net-work. Irpex differs from Hydnum in having the spines connected at the base and more blunt.
This plant, as its specific name indicates, resembles the color of flesh. Reddish, effused, one to three inches long, cartilaginous-gelatinous, membranaceous, adnate. Teeth obtuse and awl-shaped, entire, united at the base.Fries.
Found on the tulip-tree, hickory, and elm. September and October.
Growing on wood, membranaceous, clothed with stiff hair, more or less furrowed, milk-white, as its specific name indicates.
The spines are compressed, radiate, margin porus. Found on hickory and beech logs and stumps.
Figure 376.Figure 376.—Irpex tulipifera.
Figure 376.—Irpex tulipifera.
Coriaceous-membranaceous, effused; hymenium inferior, at first toothed, teeth springing from a porus base, somewhat coriaceous, entirely concrete with the pileus, netted and connected at the base, white or whitish, turning yellowish with age.
This plant is very abundant here on fallen tulip trees. I have seen entire tree tops and trunks covered with this plant. The branches after they have been penetrated with the mycelial threads become very light and brittle.
Lignatile, resupinate, hymenium soft and waxy, covered with folds or wrinkles, edges entire or corrugated.
Figure 377.Figure 377.—Phlebia radiata.
Figure 377.—Phlebia radiata.
Somewhat round, then dilated, confluent, fleshy and membranaceous, reddish or flesh-red, the circumference peculiarly radiately marked. The folds in rows radiating from the center.
The spores are cylindric-oblong, curved, 4–5×1–1.5µ.
This is quite common on beech bark in the woods. Its bright color and mode of growth will attract attention.
Lignatile, effused, waxy, granulated, granules globular, entire, permanent.
Effused, rather thin, waxy, somewhat ochraceous, circumference determinate, granules globular, equal, crowded.
Found on decayed wood. Quite common in our woods.
Thelephoraceæ is from two Greek words, a teat and to bear. The hymenium is even, coriaceous, or waxy, costate, or papillose. There are a number of genera under this family but I am acquainted with only the genus Craterellus.
Craterellus means a small bowl. Hymenium waxy-membranaceous, distinct but adnate to the hymenophore, inferior, continuous, smooth, even or wrinkled. Spores white.Fries.
Yellow Craterellus. Edible.
Figure 378.Figure 378.—Craterellus cantharellus. Caps and stems yellow.
Figure 378.—Craterellus cantharellus. Caps and stems yellow.
Cantharellus is a diminutive from a Greek word meaning a sort of drinking-cup.
The pileus is one to three inches broad, convex, often becoming depressed and funnel-shaped, glabrous, yellowish, or pinkish. Flesh white, tough, elastic.
Hymenium slightly wrinkled, yellow or faint salmon color.
The stem is one to three inches high, tapering downward, smooth, solid, yellow. The spores are yellowish or salmon color when caught on white paper, 7.5–10×5–6µ.Peck.
This plant resembles Cantharellus cibarius very closely. The color, form of growth, and the odor are very similar to the latter. It may be readily distinguished from C. cibarius by the absence of folds on the under or fruiting surface. The caps are often large and wavy, resembling yellow cauliflower. It is quite abundant about Chillicothe during the months of July and August. I have frequently gathered bushels of it for my mushroom-friends. It will be easily recognized from Figure 378, bearing in mind that the caps and stems are yellow.
The Horn of Plenty Craterellus. Edible.
Figure 379.Figure 379.—Craterellus cornucopioides. One-third natural size.
Figure 379.—Craterellus cornucopioides. One-third natural size.
Cornucopioides is fromcornu, a horn, andcopia, plenty.
The pileus is thin, flexible, tubiform, hollow to the base, blackish-brown, sometimes a little scaly, the hymenium even or somewhat wrinkled, cinereous.
The stem is hollow, smooth, black, short, almost wanting. The spores are elliptical, whitish, 11–12×7–8µ.
No one will have any trouble in recognizing this species, having once seen its picture and read its description. Its elongated or trumpet-shaped cap, and its dingy-gray or sooty-brown hue, will at once distinguish it. The spore-bearing surface is often a little paler than the upper surface. The cup is often three to four inches long. I have found it in quite large clusters in the woods near Bowling Green, and Londonderry, though it is found rather sparingly on the hillsides about Chillicothe. It has a wide distribution in other states. It does not look inviting, on account of its color, but it proves a favorite whenever tested, and may be dried and kept for future use. It is found from July to September.
Figure 380.Figure 380.—Craterellus dubius. Natural size.
Figure 380.—Craterellus dubius. Natural size.
Dubius means uncertain, from its close resemblance to C. cornucopoides.
The pileus is one to two inches broad, infundibuliform, subfibrillose, lurid-brown, pervious to the base, the margin generally wavy, lobed. Hymenium dark cinereous, rugose when moist, the minute crowded irregular folds abundantly anastomosing; nearly even when dry. The stem is short. The spores are broadly elliptical or subglobose, 6–7.5µ long.Peck.
It differs from C. cornucopioides in manner of growth, paler color, and smaller spores.
It is distinguished from Craterellus sinuosus by its pervious stem, while very similar in color to Cantharellus cinereus.
This plant, like C. cornucopoides, dries readily, and when moistened expands and becomes quite as good as when fresh. It needs to be stewed slowly till tender, when it makes a delightful dish.
The plants in Figure 380 were collected near Columbus by R. H. Young and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. They are found from July to October.
Entirely resupinate, hymenium soft and fleshy when moist, collapsing when dry, often cracked.
This is a very small plant, resupinate, membranaceous, and it is so named because of the milk-white color underneath. The hymenium is waxy when moist, cracked when dry.
The plant is small, waxy-pliant, somewhat coriaceous, cup-shaped, then explanate, confluent, marginate, externally white-tomentose.
The hymenium is even, contiguous, becoming pallid. Spores elliptical, appendiculate.
I found very fine specimens of this plant on the Iron-wood, Ostrya Virginica, which grows on the high school lawn in Chillicothe. In rainy weather in October and November the bark would be white with the plant. It resembles a small Peziza at first.
Waxy when moist, becoming rigid when dry, confluent, agglutinate, radiating. Hymenium red or flesh-color, covered with a delicate flesh-colored bloom. Some fine specimens were found on dead chestnut trees in Poke Hollow.
Effused on elder bark, white, continuous when growing, when dry cracked or flocculose and collapsing. It grows on the bark or the wood of the elder.
Waxy when moist, rigid when dry, agglutinate, lurid. The hymenium is cinereous, with a very delicate bloom. Common on sticks in the woods.
The pileus is without a cuticle, consisting of interwoven fibres. Hymenium ribbed, of a tough, fleshy substance, rather rigid, then collapsing and flocculent.
Figure 381.Figure 381.—Thelephora Schweinitzii.
Figure 381.—Thelephora Schweinitzii.
Schweinitzii is named in honor of the Rev. David Lewis de Schweinitz. Cæspitose, white or pallid. Pilei soft-corinaceous, much branched; the branches flattened, furrowed and somewhat dilated at the apex.
The stems are variable in length, often connate or fused together into a solid base.
The hymenium is even, becoming darker colored when older.Morgan.
This plant is known as T. pallida. It is very abundant on our hillsides in Ross County, and in fact throughout the state.
The pileus is soft, somewhat coriaceous, incrusting, ferruginous-brown. The pilei are imbricated, fibrous, scaly, margin fimbriated, at first dirty white. The hymenium is inferior and papillose.
The pileus is coriaceous, soft, erect, palmately branched from a common stalk; pubescent, purplish-brown; branches flat, even, tips fimbriated, whitish. The scent is very noticeable soon after it is picked. They grow on the ground in July and August.
The pileus is incrusting, rather tough, pallid, passing into branches, the apices compressed, expanded, and beautifully fringed. The plant is whitish, grayish, or purplish-brown. It is found on moss or stems of weeds. I found beautiful specimens at Bainbridge Caves.
The pileus is effused, fleshy, waxy, becoming hard, incrusting, variable, tuberculose or stalactitic, whitish, circumference similar; hymenium flocculose, pruinose, or evanescent.
It is found effused over grass. One meets with it often.
The hymenium is coriaceous, even, rather thick, concrete with the intermediate stratum of the pileus, which has a cuticle even and veinless, remaining unchanged and smooth.
Figure 382.Figure 382.—Stereum versicolor.
Figure 382.—Stereum versicolor.
Versicolor means changing color, referring to the different bands of color. The pileus is effused, reflexed, having a number of different zones; in some plants the zones are more marked than in others, the zones appearing very much like those in Polyporus versicolor.
The hymenium is even, smooth and brown.
This is a very common plant, found everywhere on old logs and stumps. It is widely diffused and can be found at any time of the year.
Pilei coriaceous and spreading, reflexed, villous, somewhat ferruginous; margin rather obtuse, whitish, even beneath; smooth, brownish, and bleeding when scratched or bruised.
Hirsutum means shaggy, hairy. The pilei are coriaceous and spreading, quite hairy, imbricated, more or less zoned, quite tough, often having a greenish tinge from the presence of a minute algæ; naked, juiceless, yellowish, unchanged when bruised or scratched. The hymenium is pale-yellow, smooth, margin entire, often lobed. I find it usually on hickory logs.
Fasciatum means bands or fillets. Pileus is coriaceous, plane, villous, zonate, grayish; hymenium, smooth, pale-red. Growing on decayed trunks. Common in all of our woods.
Figure 383.Figure 383.—Stereum sericeum.
Figure 383.—Stereum sericeum.
Sericeum means silky or satiny; so called from its satin lustre. The plant is very small and easily overlooked, usually growing in a resupinate form; sessile, orbiculate, free, papyraceous, with a bright satin lustre, shining, smooth, pale-grayish color.
The plant grows on both sides of small twigs as is shown in the photograph. I do not find it on large trunks but it is quite common on branches. No one will fail to recognize it from its specific name.
When I first observed it I named it S. sericeum, not knowing that there was a species by that name. I afterwards sent it to Prof. Atkinson and was surprised to find that I had correctly named it.
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, 11–12×4–5µ.Massee.
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.
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, 7–8×4µ.
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.
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.
Hymenochæte is from two Greek words,hymen, a membrane;chæte, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Hymenium not distinct from the hymenophore, 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:
Sparassis, to tear in pieces. The species are fleshy, branched with plate-like branches, composed of two plates, fertile on both sides.
Figure 384.Figure 384.—Sparassis Herbstii.
Figure 384.—Sparassis 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.
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 mass 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.
Clavaria is fromclavus, a club. This is by far the largest genus in this family, and contains very many edible species, some of which are excellent.
The entire genus is fleshy, either branched or simple; gradually thickening toward the top, resembling a club.
In collecting clavaria special attention should be given to the character of the apices of the branches, color of the branches, color of spores, the taste of the plant, and the character of the place of its growth. This genus is readily recognized, and no one need to hesitate to eat any of the branching forms.
Pale-yellow Clavaria. Edible.