Chapter 22

Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine.Plate XLVI.Fig.Page.Fig.Page.1.Cantharellus floccosus,2184.Cantharellus cibarius,2152.Morchella esculenta,5425.Cantharellus brevipes,2193.Craterellus cantharellus,508

Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine.Plate XLVI.

Other species of the genus do not, as a rule, grow so plentifully, neither are they of equal excellence, but several of them are equal toany other species. Suspicion has been thrown upon C. aurantiacus. There is such a marked difference between the excellence of the genus in West Virginia and other localities, that it is possible C. aurantiacus may be noxious elsewhere, but the writer has not found it so; and it would be an astonishing contradiction of Nature’s ways if it was.

Stevenson says: “It (C. cibarius) must have four hours slow cooking.” The writer has found thirty minutes to be sufficient; and it will fry in butter as quickly as any other fungus.

ANALYSIS OF TRIBES.

Mesopus(mesos, middle;pous, a foot). Page215.Stem central.

Mesopus(mesos, middle;pous, a foot). Page215.

Stem central.

*Stem solid.

**Stem tubular.

Pleuropus(pleura, the side;pous, a foot).Stem lateral.Resupinatus(resupinatus, lying on the back).Stem absent.

Pleuropus(pleura, the side;pous, a foot).

Stem lateral.

Resupinatus(resupinatus, lying on the back).

Stem absent.

All the species known to be edible belong to Mesopus.

Me´sopus.

*Stem solid.

C. ciba´riusFr.—cibaria, food. (PlateXLVI, fig. 4, p. 214. PlateXLVII.)Pileusfleshy, obconic, smooth, egg-yellow, slightly depressed.Gillsthick, distant, more or less branching and anastomosing, concolorous.Stemfirm, solid, often tapering downward, concolorous.Fleshwhite.

Height2–4 in., breadth ofpileus2–3 in.Stem3–6 lines thick.

In open woods and grassy places. Common. July and August.

Edible. The smell of apricots is not always clearly perceptible in American specimens.Peck, Monograph New York Species of Cantharellus, Rep. 23.

Spores6×8µW.G.S.; 7.6×5µMorgan; spheroid-ellipsoid, 8–9×5–6µK.; 11µQ.

Reported from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Columbia river to Louisiana. June to September.

Wherever grown C. cibarius is one of the best. In European countries it is highly rated, and is expensive. Its mode of growth varies with its plentifulness. In the West Virginia mountains large patches of it closely cover the ground. Clusters weighing ½ pound are frequent.

(Plate XLVII.)Cantharellus cibarius.

(Plate XLVII.)

Cantharellus cibarius.

When shredded, or cut across the fibers, slow cooking for half an hour is sufficient, if the plants are fresh. If gathered for some hours, they should be soaked for a time.

C. mi´norPk.Pileusfleshy, thin, convex then expanded and depressed, egg-yellow.Gillsvery narrow, distant, sparingly branched, yellowish.Stemslender, subflexuous, equal, smooth, hollow or stuffed, concolorous.

Height1–2 in., breadth of pileus 6–12 lines.

In open woods. July.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Spores6.4–7.6×4–5µPeck.

West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania.McIlvaine.

Grows in the West Virginia mountains, along with C. cibarius, and separate from it. It is more tender than C. cibarius, and not equal in flavor to those found there. I usually cooked them together and thus got quantity well flavored.

C. auranti´acusFr.—orange-yellow. (PlateCXXXVI, fig. 4, p. 508.)Pileusfleshy, obconic, nearly plane above, smooth or minutely tomentose, dull orange with the disk usually brownish, the margin decurvedand sometimes yellowish.Gillsnarrow, close, repeatedly forked, orange, sometimes yellowish.Steminequal, generally tapering upward, colored like the pileus.Fleshyellowish, taste mild.

Height2–3 in., breadth ofPileus1–3 in.Stem2–4 lines thick.

Ground and very rotten logs in woods or in fields. Common.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Spores6.4–7.6×4–5µ Peck, 10×5µMassee.

Var.pallidusPk.Pileusand gills pale yellow or whitish yellow.

Stevenson says of the English species, “Unpleasant, reckoned poisonous.” The writer’s acquaintance with C. aurantiacus has been principally confined to West Virginia. There its taste is mild, scent but little, flavor not distinguishable from eastern C. Cibarius. There it is perfectly safe and wholesome; neither have the writer and his friends any reason for condemning it.

C. umbona´tusFr.—having an umbo.Pileus1 in. and more broad,ashy-blackish, slightly fleshy, convex when young,umbonate, at length depressed, even, dry,flocculoso-silky on the surface, shining brightly especially under a lens.Fleshsoft, white, often becoming red when wounded.Stem3 in. long, about 4 lines thick,stuffed, equal, elastic, villous at the base,ash-colored, but paler than the pileus.Gillsdecurrent, thin, tense and straight,crowded, repeatedly divided by pairs,shining-white.

Odor and taste scarcely notable. Gregarious. Among the taller mosses the stem is longer. Often overlooked from its habit being that of an agaric. It varies with the pileus squamulose and blackish.

In woods. April to August.Fries.

The rather prominent gills of this small species are likely to confuse those not familiar with its variance from the genuine type. Reddish tinge to flesh not noticed in the American species. The writer has gathered it in several states and enjoyed it for many years.

(Plate XLVIII.)Cantharellus rosellus.Natural size.

(Plate XLVIII.)

Cantharellus rosellus.Natural size.

C. rosel´lusPk.—rosy.Pileusthin, funnel-shaped, regular, glabrous, pale pinkish-red.Fleshwhite.Gillsnarrow, close, dichotomous, deeply decurrent, whitish, tinged with pink.Stemequal, slender, solid, subglabrous, often flexuous, colored like the pileus.Sporesminute, broadly elliptical, 3.5×2.5µ.

Pileus4–8 lines broad.Stemabout 1 in. long, scarcely 1 line thick.

Mossy ground in groves of balsam. North Elba. September. This small species belongs to the section Agaricoides, and is apparently closely allied to C. albidus, from which its smaller size and different color distinguish it. The pileus is sometimes deeply umbilicate.Peck, 42d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Frequent in pine woods of New Jersey, near Haddonfield, where the plant is sturdier than described. Though small it grows gregarious and in troops from which appetizing quantities can be gathered.

It makes a pretty dish of pinkish hue and one of rare excellence.

C. lutes´censBull.—yellowish. (PlateCXXXVI, fig. 9, p. 508.)Pileusthin, fleshy, convex, umbilicate, brownish-floccose, yellowish.Gillsvery distant, sparingly branched, arcuate-decurrent, pale ochraceous.Stemslender, slightly tapering downward, smooth, shining, bright orange-tinted yellow, stuffed or hollow.

Height2–3 in., breadth ofPileus8–15 lines.

Mossy ground in woods. Catskill and Adirondack mountains, also Sandlake. August to October.

This is regarded by some as a variety of A. tubæformis.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

In mixed and scrub-pine woods near Haddonfield, N.J.; mixed woods Angora and Kingsessing, Philadelphia.

Perhaps constancy to C. cibarius has influenced the writer in favor of members of its family, and accounts for the gusto in “Fine” set opposite his notes to the present species. Nevertheless such is his opinion.

**Stem tubular.

C. flocco´susSchw.—woolly. (PlateXLVI, fig. 1, p. 214.)Pileusfleshy, elongated funnel-form or trumpet shape, floccose-squamose,ochraceous-yellow.Gillsvein-like, close, much anastomosing above, long decurrent and subparallel below, concolorous.Stemvery short, thick, rarely deeply rooting.

Height2–4 in., breadth ofPileusat the top 1–3 in.

Woods and their borders. Not rare. Utica,Johnson. Albany and Sandlake. July and August.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Spores12.5–15×7.6µPeck.

New York,Peck, Rep. 23; Maine,Mrs. Stella F. Fairbanks; West Virginia,McIlvaine.

A beautiful species of good quality.

(Plate XLIX.)Cantharellus brevipes.Small plant, two-thirds natural size.

(Plate XLIX.)

Cantharellus brevipes.Small plant, two-thirds natural size.

C. bre´vipesPk.—brevis, short;pes, a foot. (PlateXLVI, fig. 5, p. 214.)Pileusfleshy, 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 on the margin, abundantly anastomosing below, pale umber tinged with lilac.Stemshort, tomentose-pubescent, ash-colored, solid, often tapering downward.Sporesyellowish, oblong-elliptical, uninucleate, 10–12µ×5µ.

Plant3–4 in. high.Pileus2–3 in. broad.Stem4–6 lines thick.

Woods. Ballston, Saratoga county. July.

This interesting species is related to the C. floccosus, both by its short stem and its abundantly anastomosing folds. The two species should be separated from the others and constitute a distinct section. The flesh in C. brevipes is soft and whitish, and the folds are generally thinner than in C. floccosus.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Plentiful in West Virginia mountains in 1884, growing in patches. Found in mixed woods near Cheltenham, Pa., and at Springton, Pa., 1887.

In West Virginia it is prolific and rivals the C. cibarius in excellence. The flesh is softer, not so fibrous, and cooks more readily.

In that locality there is a marked difference between C. brevipes and C. floccosus. The latter is much longer, and markedly resembles the large end of a gold lined cornet. Like the C. cibarius it is not of as good quality in eastern states.

Gr—night. From inhabiting dark places.

(Plate L.)Nyctalis parasiticus.

(Plate L.)

Nyctalis parasiticus.

Hymenophore continuous with the stem.Gillsfleshy, thick, juicy, obtuse at the edge, not decurrent on the stem nor fold-like.Veil(in species which have been fully observed) floccoso-pruinose.

Fleshy fungi, not reviving, of uncertain and irregular occurrence, differing in many respects from one another and from the rest of the Agaricini.Fries.

The typical species are saprophytic on decaying fungi. But one species, Nyctalis asterophora, reported in America. SeePeck, 26th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Gr—to wither or shrivel.

(Plate LI.)Marasmius oreades.About one-half natural size.

(Plate LI.)

Marasmius oreades.About one-half natural size.

Pileusregular, thin, tough and pliant.Gillspliant, rather tough, somewhat distant, variously attached or free, with an acute entire edge.Stemcartilaginous or horny, continuous with the pileus but of different texture. Not putrescent but drying up with lack of moisture, reviving and assuming the original form with the advent of rain. This character distinguishes Marasmius from all other genera of Agaricaceæ.

Its nearer relations are Collybia and Mycena.

Fries says that all Agaricaceæ having the smell of garlic are found in this genus. On the ground, but generally on wood or leaves.

Professor Peck reports over forty species of this genus found in New York state. Several not found in New York are reported from other states. The writer has found a few such species in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Many untried species will probably prove to be edible; the majority are too small to be of food value. M. urens, reported poisonous, and M. peronatus, heretofore considered poisonous, have been found by the writer to be edible. Several species not described herein have been tested for edibility to a limited extent only.

In this genus occurs the famed M. oreades, the Mousseron of France, the Champignon and Scotch bonnet of England, the Fairy-ring mushroom of America.

ANALYSIS OF TRIBES.

Collybia(inclining to Collybia). Page223.

Fleshof pileus pliant, at length rather leathery, grooved or wrinkled, margin incurved at first.Stemsomewhat cartilaginous; mycelium woolly, absent in some species.

A.Scortei(scorteus, leathery). Page223.

Stem solid or stuffed, then hollow, fibrous within, outside covered with down. Gills separating from the stem, free.

*Base of stem woolly or strigose.

**Stem naked at the base, often interwoven with twisted fibers.

B.Tergini(terginus, leathery). Page225.

Stem rooting, distinctlytubular, notfibrous, distinctlycartilaginous. Gills receding then free. Pileus thinner than in the preceding group, hygrophanous, even or with the margin striate.

* Stem woolly below, smooth above.

**Stem when dry covered with velvety down.

C.Calopodes(Gr—beautiful;Gr—a foot). Page226.

Stem short, not rooting, often with a floccose or downy, tubercular base. Pileus convex, involute, then plane and more or less depressed, in which state the gills typically adnate are subdecurrent. On twigs, branches, etc. Gregarious.

*Stem quite smooth above, shining, base not swollen.

** Stem covered with velvety down, rather swollen at the base.

Mycena(inclining to Mycena). Page227.

Stem horny, hollow, often filled with pith, tough, dry. Mycelium rooting, not floccose. Pileus somewhat membranaceous, bell-shaped, then expaned, margin at first straight and pressed to the stem.

A.Chordales(chorda, a gut). Page227.

Stem rigid, rooting or dilated at the base. Pileus bell-shaped or convex. Type manifestly that of Mycena.

B.Rotulæ(rotula, a little wheel).

Stem thread-like, flaccid, base not dilated or floccose but appearing to enter the matrix abruptly. Pileus soon becoming plane or umbilicate. On leaves.

* Stem quite smooth, shining.

** Stem minutely velvety or hairy.

Apus(a, without;pous, a foot).

Pileus sessile, resupinate.

I.—Colly´bia.

A.Scortei.

*Stem woolly or strigose at base.

M. u´rensFr.—uro, to burn.Pileus2–3 in. broad, unicolorous, pale yellowish,becoming pale, slightly fleshy,moderately compact at the disk, even, but here and there scaly or cracked in wavy lines when dry, smooth, the thin margin involute.Stem2–3 in. long, 3 lines thick,solid, composed of crisp tough fibers, rigid, equal, sometimes however ventricose, ½ in. thick,everywhere clothed with white flocci, pale, white-downy at the base.Gillsfree, united behind,at length remotefrom the stem,distant, tough, at first pale-wood-color,then brown.

Gregarious, somewhat cespitose.Taste very stinging.The stem is not strigosely sheathed at the base.Fries.

In mixed woods. Frequent. June to September.

A curious form occurred with the pileus turning very dark when full-grown.B. and Br.POISONOUS. Worthington Smith has tested it by accident. It produced headache, swimming of brain, burning in throat and stomach, followed by severe purging and vomiting.Stevenson.

Gregarious or cespitose. Taste very pungent, a feature which separates the present from M. oreades. Not coarsely tomentose at the base, as in M. peronatus, but only downy.Massee.

Spores3×4µW.G.S.; elliptical, 8×4µMassee.

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia.McIlvaine.

I have not known it to disagree with myself or friends. That it may not agree with some persons is unquestioned. Collectors should carefully test it upon themselves.

M. perona´tusFr.—pero, a kind of boot.Pileus1–2 in. and more broad, light yellowish or pallid brick-red, then becoming pale,wood-coloror tan, at first fleshy-pliant, thencoriaceo-membranaceous, convex then plane, obtuse, flaccid, slightly wrinkled, even at the disk,at length pitted, striate at the margin.Fleshwhite.Stem2–3 in. long, 1–2 lines thick, stuffed, fibrous, tough, attenuated upward,at length hollowand compressed,furnished with a bark, light yellow then pallid,cuticle villousbut separating and reddish when rubbed, somewhat incurved at the base, where it isclothed with dense, somewhat strigose, yellowish orwhitevillous down.Gillsadnexed, then separating, free, moderatelythin, andcrowded, when young whitish,pallid wood-color, at length somewhat remote, reddish.

B.Woolly sheathed at the base. Taste acrid like that of M. urens, odor none.Fries.

In woods. Common.Stevenson.

Sporespip-shaped, 7×4µW.G.S.; 10×6–7µMassee.

New York. Thin woods. North Elba. August. September.Peck, 42d Rep.; West Virginia, June to December, West Philadelphia and Mt. Gretna, Chester county, Pa.McIlvaine.

M. peronatus is the wood-cousin of M. oreades. It is still reputed poisonous by all writers upon the subject, though M.C. Cooke gives it the benefit of a doubt. The name is given because of the base of the stem being densely covered with short hairs or a woolly down, and is thus easily recognized. It is common in woods, among decaying leaves, especially of the oak, from May until after frosts. It is usually solitary, but a few individuals are sometimes clustered. It is quite peppery to the taste, but pleasantly so. I have repeatedly eaten it, as have my friends. It loses its acridity in cooking, and though the caps are tougher than M. oreades, they make a highly flavored and delicious dish. Collectors should carefully test it for themselves.

**Stem naked at the base, etc.

M. ore´adesFr.Gr—mountain-nymphs. Scotch bonnet. Champignon. Mousseron. (Plate LI, p. 221.)Pileus1–2 in. broad,reddish then becoming pale, absorbing moisture, whitish when dry, fleshy, pliant, convex then plane, somewhat umbonate, even, smooth, slightly striate at the margin when moist.Stem2–3 in. long, 1½ lines thick,solid, very tough,equal, tense and straight,everywhere clothed with a villous-woven cuticlewhich can be rubbed off, pallid; bluntly rooted at the base, naked, not villous or tomentose.Gillsfree, broad,distant, the alternate ones shorter,at first soft, then firmer, pallid-white.

Odorweak, butpleasant, stronger when dried,taste mild. Commonly growing in circles or rows.Fries.

Spores6–7×5–6µK.; elliptical, 8×5µMassee; nearly elliptical, white, 7.6–9µ longPeck.

Common throughout the states during the summer months after rains,and in rings, but can be found from May until after frost. If one knows where the rings are to be found M. oreades can be gathered when shriveled, and are quite as good, after soaking, as when fresh.

M. oreades must be sought for where the grass is luxuriant. It hides among it. It is well worthy of the search. Raw, fresh or shriveled, it is sweet, nutty, succulent when eaten; stewed well it is delicious. Though tough its consistency is agreeable. The most delicate stomachs can digest it. The writer saved the life of a lovely woman by feeding her upon it when nothing else could be retained; and of another, by feeding Coprinus micaceus, after a dangerous operation. He introduced these species, together with a few others, into a large hospital in Philadelphia, where they were used with marked beneficial effect, and such use is now widespread.

When dried, by exposure to the air or sun, it can be kept indefinitely, neither losing its aroma or flavor, which it graciously imparts to soups or any other dish.

Collybia dryophila, Stropharia semi-globata, and Naucoria semi-orbicularis are sometimes found growing with it. These species are delicious and harmless.

Lafayette B. Mendel in the Am. Jour. of Physiology, March, 1898, gives the following analysis:

Twenty freshly gathered specimens (from New Haven) weighed 9 grams, an average weight of 0.45 grams each. The analysis gave:

B.Tergini.

**Stem downy when dry, etc.

M. Wyn´neiB. and Br.Pileus1–1½ in. broad,lilac-brown, tardily changing color, fleshy, convexo-plane, somewhat umbonate.Stem2 in. long, 1½ line thick, tubed,furfuraceous, somewhat of the same color as the pileus.Gillsadnexed, thick, distant, bright-colored, beautifully tinged withlilac; interstices even.

Inodorous. Gregarious or cespitose. The stem springs from a white mycelium, but is by no means strigose or tawny at the base. Quite distinct from M. fusco-purpureus.Fries.

Among leaves, twigs, etc.Stevenson.

Sporeselliptical, 7–8×4µMassee.

Kingsessing, West Philadelphia. Gregarious and cespitose, among leaves, etc., in oak woods. September to October, 1885.

This very pretty fungus very much resembles at first sight the small purplish Clitocybes, but is readily distinguished on examination. I ate the caps and enjoyed them during the seasons of 1885 and 1887, but have not seen the plant since.

The caps are equal to M. oreades.

C.Calopodes.

*Stem smooth, etc.

M. scorodo´niusFr.Gr—a plant that smells like garlic.Pileus½ in. and more broad, rufous when young, but soon becoming pale, whitish (not hygrophanous), slightly fleshy, pliant, convex then soon plane, obtuse, always arid; even when young, at length wrinkled and crisped.Stem1 in. long, scarcely 1 line thick,horny, tough, tubed, equal,very smooth throughout, shining, reddish, inserted and nakedat the base.Gillsadnate, often separating, connected by veins, at length crisped in drying, whitish.

Commonly gregarious.Readily distinguished from neighboring species by its strong odor of garlic.Fries.

Heaths and dry pastures on twigs, etc. Rare.

Edible. Esteemed for flavoring.Stevenson.

Sporeselliptical, 6×4µMassee.

North Carolina,Schweinitz,Curtis; New England,Frost; New Jersey,Ellis; New York, August,Peck, 23d Rep.

M. ca´lopesFr.Gr—beautiful; a foot.Pileusabout 4 lines broad,whitish, slightly fleshy, tough, convex then flattened, obtuse, rarely depressed, even, smooth, slightly wrinkled when dried.Stem1 in. long, 1 line thick, tubed, slightly attenuated upward, even,smooth, tough, dull-red orbay-brown-red, shining,somewhat rooted.Gillsslightly emarginate, in groups of 2–4, thin, white.

Inodorous.Almost smaller than M. scorodonius, but the stem is longer, otherwise very like it.Fries.

Sporeselliptical, 7×4µMassee.

Twigs and stems among fallen leaves in woods. Ticonderoga. August.

This might easily be mistaken for M. scorodonius, but it is without odor, and has a different insertion of the lamellæ. It is sometimes cespitose. The pileus in our specimens is whitish.Peck, 31st Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Because of its similarity to M. scorodonius, which is edible, it is given here.

II.—Mycena.

A.Chordales.

M. allia´ceusFr.—allium, garlic.Pileus1–1½ in. broad, whitish inclining to fuscous, often milk-white when young, somewhat membranaceous, campanulate then expanded, somewhat umbonate, even, at length striate and sulcate, smooth, dry.Stemas much as 8 in. long,horny, rigid, fistulose, attenuated upward,pruinato-velvety, blackish, rooted at the base where it is somewhat incurved and naked.Gillsadnexed in the form of a ring, thenfree, slightly ventricose, arid, slightly distant, fuscous-whitish, crisped when dry.

Odor strong, of garlic, persistent.There is nothing of a reddish tinge in the whole plant.The stem is not tomentose at the base as in the Tergini.Fries.

Among leaves and on rotten wood. Frequent. August to October.Stevenson.

Spores14–16×8µ.Massee.

North Carolina,Schweinitz,Curtis; Pennsylvania,Schweinitz; Minnesota,Johnson; Novia Scotia,Somers.

Edible. Bull. Boston Myc. Club.

Helios, the sun;myces, a fungus.

Pileusmembranaceous, between leathery and gelatinous, radiately sulcate.Gillsequal, edge acute.Stemsomewhat woody, cylindrical, central.

Allied to Marasmius, but differing in its sub-gelatinous substance.

None reported edible.

Lentus, tough or pliant.

(Plate LII.)Section of Lentinus.

(Plate LII.)

Section of Lentinus.

Pileusfleshy-coriaceous, pliant, tough and hard when old, persistent.Gillsbecoming dry, tough, simple, unequal, thin, margin acute,toothed, more or less decurrent.Stemwhen present central, excentric or lateral, hard and firm, continuous with the flesh of the pileus.

Growing on wood.

Sporessomewhat round, even, white.

Distinguished from other coriaceous genera by its serrated and torn gills.

“The genera Lentinus and Lenzites are found in every region of the world; their principal center, however, is in hot countries, where they attain a splendid development. On the contrary, toward the north they rapidly decrease in number.” Fungi.Cooke and Berkeley.

In habitat and mode of growth Lentinus closely resembles Pleurotus, and parallel genera with colored spores. When young the species are inviting, and when well cooked are meal-giving. They are not delicacies, but substantials. They dry well. Grated they make soups, and give their pleasant flavor to any dish.

ANALYSIS OF TRIBES.

Mesopodes(mesos, middle;pous, a foot). Page229.

Stem distinct.

Pleuroti(pleura, a side;ous, an ear).

Stem lateral or absent. None known to be edible

L. Lecom´teiFr.Pileuscoriaceous, funnel-shaped, regularly reflexed, hairy, tawny.Gillscrowded, pallid.Stemshort, hairy, tawny.

Common to the states.

Professor Peck writes to me: “This plant, by reason of its rather tough substance, has commonly been referred to Lentinus, under the name L. Lecomtei Schw., but this reference is scarcely satisfactory to me, since the edge of the lamellæ is scarcely at all serrate as required by that genus. It seems to me it would go better under the genus Panus. It is variable—sometimes eccentric or even lateral. It is sometimes called Lentinus strigosus, but I do not think the two are distinct species, however distinct they may be in form.” February 26, 1894.

Like all Lentinus the present species is rather tough, yet chopped into small pieces, well cooked and seasoned, it is quite equal to P. ostreatus and many others of high renown.

(Plate LIII.)Lentinus tigrinus.About one-half natural size.

(Plate LIII.)

Lentinus tigrinus.About one-half natural size.

L. tigri´nusFr.—tigris, a tiger. From the markings.Pileuscommonly 2 in. broad, white,variegatedwith somewhat adpressed,blackish,hairy squamules, fleshy-coriaceous,thin, commonly orbicular and central, at first convexo-plane,umbilicate, at length funnel-shaped, often split at the margin when dry.Stemabout 2 in. long,thin, solid, very hard, commonly attenuated downward, minutelysquamulose, whitish, often ascending and becoming dingy-brown at the base, at first furnishedat the apex with an entire reflexed ring,which soon falls off.Gillsdecurrent(by no means sinuate), narrow, crowded, unequal, toothed like a saw, white.

Somewhat gregarious, even cespitose, thinner and more coriaceous and regular than L. lepideus B., wholly blackish with squamules.Fries.

On old stumps. Rare.Stevenson.

When fresh very tender and easily torn, when dry coriaceous.Sow.Smell strong, acrid, like that of some Lactarii.M.J.B.

Spores6.6×3.3µMorgan; elliptical, smooth, 7×3.5µMassee.

Agreeable taste and odor, eaten in Europe.Roques.

Edible, tough when old and never very delicate or digestible.—M. C. Cooke.

Not found in sufficient quantity to test.

L. lepi´deusFr.Gr—scaly. (PlateXVI, fig. 3, 4, p. 52.)Pileus2–4 in. broad, pallid-ochraceous, variegated with adpressed,darker, spot-like scales, fleshy, verycompactand firm,irregular, commonly excentric, convex then depressed, but not truly umbilicate, sometimes broken up into cracks.Fleshpliant, white.Stemshort, commonly 1 in. long, solid,stout, very irregularly formed, almost woody, tomentose-scaly, whitish, rooted at the base,at the first furnished with a veil toward the apex.Gillsdecurrent, butsinuate behind, crowded broad, transversely striate, whitish, edge torn into teeth.

Odor pleasant.Fries.

Spores11×5µW.G.S., 7×3µ.Massee.

Lentinus lepideus is a sort of commercial traveler. It is common wherever railroads are. It is partial to oak ties and its mycelium is injurious to them. It is found upon pine and other timbers. The writer has collected large clusters of it from oak sawdust. The European plant is noted as “almost always solitary.” In the United States it is seldom so. It is noted as growing in damp, dark places, but it loves the sun.

As a food it is about on a par with P. ulmarius, not as tough, but harder when old. It is a reliable species from spring until late autumn, is persistent and dries well. It is neat, handsome, prolific. When young it makes a good dish, and when old can be used to advantage in soups.

L. cochlea´tusFr.—cochlea, a snail.Pileus2–3 in. broad, flesh-color, but becoming pale, somewhat tan, fleshy-pliant, thin, commonly excentric, imbricated, very unequal, somewhat lobed or contorted, sometimes plane, sometimes funnel-shaped-umbilicate, but not pervious,smooth.Stemsolid, firm, sometimes central, most frequently excentric, sometimes wholly lateral,always sulcate, smooth, flesh-colored upward, reddish-brown downward.Gillsdecurrent, crowded, serrated, white-flesh-color.Fries.

Pliant, tough, flaccid, very changeable in form, sometimes solitary, sometimes cespitose, imbricated, growing into each other. From very small forms which are commonly solitary, with the stem and pileus scarcely 1 in. it ranges to 3 in.

On stumps. Frequent. August to October.

According to Fries the odor is weak, of anise; but it is generally strong and very pleasant.Stevenson.

Sporesnearly globular, 4µ diameterMorgan; spheroid or ellipsoid-spheroid, uniguttate, 4–6µK.; almost globular, 4µW.G.S.

The dense clusters of all sized members are usually plenty in favored localities. It is inviting in appearance, taste and spicy odor. It retains a suspicion of the latter when cooked which gives the dish a flavor pleasant to many. It must be young to be tender. When dry—like others of its kind—it can be grated and used in many ways.

L. Un´derwoodiiPk.Pileusfleshy, tough, convex or nearly plane, the glabrous surface cracking into areola-like scales which are indistinct or wanting toward the margin, whitish or slightly tinged with buff or pale ochraceous.Fleshwhite.Gillsmoderately close, decurrent, slightly connecting or anastomosing at the base, somewhat notched on the edge, whitish, becoming discolored in drying.Stemstout, hard, solid, eccentric, squamose, colored like the pileus.Sporesoblong, 13–15×5–6.5µ.

Plantcespitose.Pileus3–6 in. broad.Stem1.5–3 in. long, about 1 in. thick.

This differs from L. magnus in its cespitose habit, eccentric stem, longer spores, less distinctly areolate-squamose pileus and in its habitat. The gills are connected at the base very much like those of Pleurotus ostreatus.Peck, Torr. Bull. Vol. 23, No. 10.

North Carolina, Pennsylvania,McIlvaine.

The writer first met with it in North Carolina, near Washington, on oaks and railroad timbers, and in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. It attains quite a size, grows singly and in clusters. Its clean, cake-like appearance is attractive. Cooked it ranks with P. ulmarius, L. lepideus, and Panus strigosus.

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