Chapter 30

Velutini.Pileus silky, etc.

H. veluti´nusPers.—vellus, a fleece. Velvety.Pileusfleshy, thin, convex or expanded, brittle, minutely tomentose-scaly, becoming smooth, hygrophanous, yellow with the disk reddish.Lamellærather broad, attached, tapering toward the outer extremity, dark brown tinged with red, the edge whitish-beaded.Stemequal, rather slender, hollow, fibrillose, subconcolorous, white-mealy and slightly striate at the top.Sporesblack.

Heightabout 2 in., breadth of pileus 1–1.5 in.

Roadsides. Albany Cemetery. September. The pileus sometimes cracks transversely.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Spores6×8µW.G.S.; elliptical, 10×5µMassee.

Often used in catsup. Innocent and edible.Cooke.

West Virginia. 1881–1885, Pennsylvania, West Philadelphia, Bartram’s Creek, 1887,McIlvaine.

Var.leioceph´alusB. and Br. (Gr—smooth;Gr—head, from its smooth pileus).Pileushygrophanous, rugged, smooth except at the margin, where it is fibrillose, pallid as is the stem, whose apex is mealy.

Densely cespitose, much smaller than the common form, but apparently a mere variety, though a striking one from its smooth but very rugged disk. On old stumps.Stevenson.

New York,Peck, 23d Rep.; West Virginia, West Philadelphia, Bartram’s Creek, Haddonfield, N.J., September to November.McIlvaine.

Quantities of var. leiocephalus grow in the West Virginia forests on stumps and on the ground from decaying roots. 1½ in. is the limit of its width. Its frequent and dense clusters, its tenderness and delicacy of flavor make it a favorite.

H. aggrega´tumPk.—aggrego, to grow together. Densely cespitose.Pileusthin, convex or subcampanulate, grayish-white, obscurely spotted with appressed brownish fibrils.Lamellæsubdistant, rounded behind, nearly free, at first whitish, then brown or blackish-brown with a whitish edge.Stemrather long, hollow, somewhat woolly or fibrillose, white.Sporesbrown, elliptical, 8×4–5µ.

Pileusabout 1 in. broad.Stem2–3 in. long, 1.5–2 lines thick.

At the base of trees and stumps in woods. Alcove. September.

The cespitose habit and obscurely spotted grayish-white pileus are marked features of this species. From H. silvestre the species may be distinguished by its smaller size, adnexed or nearly free lamellæ which have no rosy tint, and by its very cespitose mode of growth.Peck, 46th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Mt. Gretna, Pa., about trees and stumps. September to November, 1898–1899.McIlvaine.Not reported elsewhere.

The caps are oyster-color. Amateurs accustomed to the gayer colors of the autumnal Hypholomas will not suspect this of belonging to the genus, until the color of the spores is obtained.

The caps are fine.

H. lachrymabun´dumFr.—lachryma, a tear.Pileus2–3 in. broad, whitish when young, then dingy-brown, becoming pale around the margin, truly fleshy but not compact, convex, obtuse, scaly with hairs, the innate scales darker.Fleshwhite.Stem2 in. long, 3–4 lines thick, hollow, somewhat thickened at the base, scaly with fibrils, becoming brownish-whitish.Veilseparate, clothed with fibers, hanging from the pileus, white.Gillsadnate, crowded, 3 lines broad, whitish then brownish-purple, edge whitish and distilling drops in wet weather.

Sporesbrownish-purple. From mutual pressure the caps are often irregular. Very cespitose, firm.Fries.

Sporesbrownish-purple, 9×4µMassee.

On ground and on trunks. Truly cespitose. Smaller than H. velutinus,but firmer, truly fleshy, not hygrophanous. Bushy pastures. Bethlehem. October.

Our specimens do not agree in all respects with the published description of the species. The pileus is sometimes wholly destitute of scales and sometimes densely clothed with hairy, erect ones. The species is manifestly variable.Peck, 30th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

“Like H. fascicularis in quality. Intensely irritant. It is bound with the weight of its own guilt.”Hay.

This is a good specimen of Hay’s comments. H. fascicularis is never irritant, is good eating, is innocent.

There is irony in the comment of Dr. Cooke: “This doubtful species is used by the smaller ketchup makers.”

I have not seen this species. When I do I shall eat it and expect to live.

H. incer´tumPk. (PlateXCVIIa.)Pileusfragile, convex or subcampanulate, then expanded, hygrophanous, often radiately wrinkled, whitish with the disk yellowish, the thin margin sometimes purplish-tinted, often wavy, adorned by fragments of the white flocculent fugacious veil.Lamellæclose, narrow, whitish then rosy-brown, the edge often uneven.Stemequal, straight, hollow, easily splitting, whitish with a frosty bloom or slightly scurfy at the top.Sporeselliptical, purplish-brown, 8×5µ.

Plantgregarious or subcespitose, 2–3 in. high.Pileus1–2 in. broad.Stem1–2 lines thick.

Ground among bushes. Green Island and Sandlake. June and July.

The veil is sometimes so strongly developed as to form an imperfect ring. The color is nearly white from the first.Peck, 29th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

As the name indicates, I was uncertain whether this was a form of H. Candolleanum, to which it is very closely related, but as Fries says of that “Gills at first violaceous,” and as our plant has them at first white or whitish, I concluded to risk the uncertainty on a new species.

I have seen Central Park, New York, well covered with it in May. It is also common in the vicinity of Boston. Of very agreeable flavor and delicate substance. The profusion of its growth compensates for its small size.Macadam.

Indiana,H.I. Miller; Mt. Gretna, Pa., in great clusters between railroad ties and beside track,McIlvaine.

Tender. One of the best.

Photographed by Dr. J.R. Weist.PlateXCVIIa.HYPHOLOMA INCERTUM.

H. appendicula´tumBull.—a small appendage. From the veil adhering to margin of pileus. (PlateXCVII, p. 352.)Pileus2–3 in. broad, date-brown then tawny, becoming pale yellowish when dry, fleshy-membranaceous, thin, ovate then expanded, at length flattened, obtuse, smooth, when dry slightly wrinkled, somewhat sprinkled with atoms.Stem3 in. long, 2–3 lines thick, fistulose, equal, smooth, white,pruinate at the apex; veil fringing the margin of the pileus, fugacious, white.Gillssomewhat adnate, crowded,dry, whitethen flesh-colored, at length dingy-brown.

Densely cespitose, very fragile and hygrophanous. Much thinner and more fragile than H. Candolleanus. It may be safely distinguished from species which are nearest to it by the gills being whitish then brownish-flesh color.

Var.lana´tum. A curious form, densely woolly when young, traces of the woolly coat remaining at the apex when the pileus is fully expanded. Sibbertoft. B. and Br., 1876.Stevenson.

Sporesellipsoid, pellucid, 6–8×3–4µK.; 4×6µW.G.S.; elliptical, 5×2.5µMassee.

Angora, West Philadelphia, October, November, December, 1897; Haddonfield, N.J., Mt. Gretna, Pa., cespitose and gregarious in woods about stumps.McIlvaine.

“It is very common and edible.”Farlow.

At Mt. Gretna, Pa., October, 1898, in great abundance. When found it was gregarious in large patches and cespitose on stumps. My identification was confirmed by Professor Peck.

It dries well, and retains flavor and esculent qualities. Cooked it is among the best.

H. Candol´leanumFr.—After De Candolle.Pileus2–4 in. broad, date-brown then becoming white, the top somewhat yellowish, somewhat fleshy, acorn-shaped then bell-shaped, soon convex and at length flattened, obtuse and unequal, smooth, even.Fleshthin, white.Stem3 in. long, 2–4 lines thick, fistulose, solid at the base, somewhat thickened, fibrillose, white, striate at the apex; veil in the form of a cortina,web-like, appendiculate (depending from the margin of the pileus), white, at length becoming dingy-brown.Gillsrounded-adnexed, then separating, crowded, violaceous then brownish-cinnamon, the edge at first whitish.

Readily distinguished from neighboring species by the gills being at first beautifully dark violaceous, never flesh-colored. Densely cespitose, fragile, very hygrophanous.Stevenson.

Sporeselliptical, 8×4µMassee.

Edible, often used in catsup.Cooke.

A species variable in color with the weather. Its gills are cream-colored at first, then purplish, then very dark. After rain the fragile cap often turns up at the margin and splits.

It differs somewhat in texture from other Hypholomas, being more delicate in texture and substance. It is excellent.

H. suba´quilumBanning.—aquilus, brownish, tawny.Pileusbrown, convex, smooth, hygrophanous, often shaded into ocher at margin, veil delicate, silk-like, encircling and covering the marginal extremities of the lamellæ but forming no ring on the stem.Fleshwhite, turning umber when cut.Lamellæadnexed or nearly free, close, forked, umber.Stemcespitose, regular, hollow, silky, white, 2–3 in. long.

Sporesbrown, 4×5µ.BanningMS.

Druid Hill Park, Baltimore,Miss Banning; decaying wood, Adirondack mountains. August and September. New York.Peck, 45th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

H. subaquilum is closely allied to H. appendiculatum, but is distinguished by its darker colored cap and gills.

Its edible qualities are the same. It is among the best.

Gr—naked; head.

Pileusmore or less fleshy, smooth,margin at first incurved.Gillsbecoming brownish or purple.Stemsomewhat cartilaginous, rigid or tough, tubular, hollow or stuffed, often rooting.Veilabsent or rudimentary, never forming a membrane.Sporespurple, purple-brown or slate-color.

Generally growing on the ground, gregarious, sometimes cespitose.

Psilocybe is analogous in form to Collybia, Leptonia and Naucoria, which are distinguished by their spore colors. Separated from Psathyra by the incurved margin of the pileus.

But one species of Psilocybe is herein given as edible. Of it, alone, the writer has had opportunity to eat meals. Several others of the species have been found by him and tested in small quantity. They are all of good texture, substance and flavor, though most are small. He is of the opinion that increased testing will prove the entire genus edible. Nothing can or should be prognosticated about a toadstool, but the indications are all in favor of Psilocybe.

(Plate XCIX.)Psilocybe spadicea.Two-thirds natural size.

(Plate XCIX.)

Psilocybe spadicea.Two-thirds natural size.

P. spadi´ceaSchaeff.—spadiceus, date-brown.Pileusthin, submembranaceous, hemispherical, then convex or expanded, smooth, hygrophanous, pale grayish-brown and striatulate when moist, white or yellowish when dry.Gillsnarrow, close, attached, easily separating from the stem, at first whitish, then brown, tinged with flesh-color.Stemstraight, equal, hollow, smooth, white.

Height1–2 in., breadth of pileus 1–1.5 in.Stem1–2 lines thick.

Grassy ground in yards and fields. Albany. June. Gregarious or cespitose. The pileus is fragile, the spores are brown.Peck, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Sporesbrown, 9×4µMassee; purplish brown, 7.6×5.1µMorgan.

Haddonfield, N.J., October, November, December, 1896. In large patches and where stumps had been taken from the ground.McIlvaine.

Var.hygro´philusFr.Gr—moist; loving.

Pileus tawny, then clay-color. Stem 4–6 in. long, rather fusiform, rooting. Gills emarginate with a deeply decurrent line; at length umber-brown.

Var.polyceph´alusFr.—polus, many;cephale, head.

Densely crowded. Stem thinner, flexuous. Gills nearly free, at length tawny-umber.

The plant is tender, cooks easily and is of fine flavor.

P. semilancea´taFr.—semi, half;lancea, a spear.Pileus½ in. high, not broad, various in color, becoming yellow, green, dingy-brown, somewhat membranaceous,acutely conical, almostcuspidate, never expanded, but the margin when young at first bent inward,covered with a pellicle which is viscous and separable in wet weather, slightly striate chiefly round the margin.Stemas much as 3 in. long, scarcely 1 line thick, tubular andcontaining a pith, equal, more frequentlyflexuous, smooth,capable of beingtwisted round the finger, smooth,becoming pale; furnished with a veil when young.Gillsascendinginto the summit of the cone, adnexed, almostlinear, crowded, becoming purple-black.Fries.

Gregarious, very tough. Pastures and roadsides, etc. Common. August to November.Stevenson.

Sporesellipsoid, 9–16×4–9µK.; 14×9µW.G.S.

New York,Peck, Rep. 23; Novia Scotia,Somers.

Var.cærules´censCooke—becoming blue. Base of stem turning indigo-blue.

Not common in America, but frequently found. According to M. C. Cooke—a careful authority—P. semilanceata has a dangerous reputation. It is said to have proved fatal to children when eaten raw. It is not deleterious when cooked.

Gr—friable.

(Plate C.)Psathyra gyroflexa.Natural size. (After Massee.)Omitted from Index to Species.

(Plate C.)

Psathyra gyroflexa.Natural size. (After Massee.)Omitted from Index to Species.

Veilnone or only universal, and floccoso-fibrillose.Stemsomewhat cartilaginous, fistulose with a tube, polished,fragile.Pileusconical or bell-shaped,membranaceous, the margin at the first straight and adpressed to the stem.Gillsbecoming purple or brownish.Slender, fragile, hygrophanous.

Some of the last species ofHypholoma and Psilocybeare very closely allied to them. The Coprinarii are readily distinguished by the gills being white or ash-color, then black,not dusky-brown nor becoming purple.

Psathyra corresponds with Mycena, Nolanea, Galera and Psathyrella. All the species grow on the ground or on trunks.Stevenson.

But four American species reported. Small and unimportant.

Stemtough; margin ofPileusat first incurved.Gillssubtriangularly decurrent. Corresponds with Omphalia, Eccilia, Tubaria.

Few American species. Small and unimportant.

Various as are the spore colors in this series (in its broadest sense), there is an entire absence of brown and purple shades in the black spores of four of the genera belonging to this group or series. In Gomphidius the spores are dingy-olivaceous. It is an outsider affiliating with thoroughbreds because of more technical congeniality than other genera afford. Like comets in the universe, it has no home. The singular genus Montagnites (of which but one species has been found in America, and that in Texas) has the relationship of spore-color. Panæolus, Anellaria, Psathyrella, when young, have gills free from each other; Coprinus, in early life, presents them pressed tightly together; as the plants age and the spores ripen, the entire gill structure becomes black and dissolves into an inky fluid, the color of which is due to the spores.

The species are all of delicate body, and many of them add generously to table luxuries.

Gr—dung.

Pileusseparate from the stem.Gillsmembranaceous, at first closely pressed together, cohering, at length melting into a black fluid.Tramaobsolete.Sporesoval, even, black.

The extreme closeness of the gills and their entire deliquescence into a fluid, black from the spores, sharply define this genus and separate it from all others. At first the form is oval or cylindrical; most are furnished with a downy or scurfy veil often adhering to the pileus, sometimes forming an adhering volva at the base of the stem. Nearly all are ephemeral, many completely disappearing in a day.

Cystidia (sterile cells) of large size are frequent on the gills of many species.

Plate CI.Chart of genera in black-spored series—Melanosporae,Page368.

The majority grow on richly manured ground or dung, some on rotten wood and other materials. Bolbitius, the only ally, has the same ephemeral existence, and grows in similar situations, but the gills only soften (not melting) and the spores are somewhat rust-colored.

The blackening of the gills is not a process of decay, but is due to the growth of the spores, and the plant is still (before deliquescence) perfectly edible although not so inviting in appearance as before.

Species of Coprinus are very common and are easily recognized by the deliquescent gills which, when mature, stain the fingers black.

In “Once upon a Time,” when country people made their own writing inks, the convenient Coprinus gave its juices for this purpose. A little corrosive sublimate added to the boiled and strained fluid prevented it from molding.

With few exceptions the species are small. They are tender, of real mushroom flavor and highly enjoyable. They make a thin, well flavored catsup, but are better used to give flavor to their less favored brethren.

They stew in from two to fifteen minutes, depending upon the solidity of the species.

ANALYSIS OF THE TRIBES.

A.Pelliculosi(pellicula, a thin skin). Page 370.

Gills covered above with a fleshy or membranaceous skin, hence the pileus does not split along the lines of the gills, but becomes lacerated with the edges turned upward.

*Comati—coma, hair. Furnished with a ring formed from the free margin of the volva. The skin of the pileus torn into innate scales.

**Atramentarii—atramentum, ink. Ring imperfect. Volva absent. Pileus dotted with minute innate scales.

***Picacei—pica, a magpie. Universal veil downy, at first continuous then broken up into superficial scales forming patches on the pileus.

****Tomentosi—tomentum, down. Pileus at first covered with a loose hairy down, becoming torn into distinct scales, at length disappearing. Ring absent.

*****Micacei—mico, to glitter. Pileus at first covered with minute glistening scales, soon disappearing. Ring none.

******Glabrati. Pileus smooth. Veil absent.

B.Veliformes(velum, a veil;forma, form). Page 380.

Pileus very thin without a skin, at length opening into furrows along the backs of the gills and becoming folded in furrows. Stem thin, hollow. Gills wasting away into thin lines.

*Cyclodei.Gr—a circle; appearance. Stem with a ring or volva.

**Lanatuli—lanatus, woolly. Pileus covered with superficial woolly floccules, at length disappearing. Ringless.

***Furfurelli—furfureus, branny. Pileus mealy or scurfy. Gills generally attached to a collar at the apex of the stem. Ringless.

**** Hemerobii.Gr.—living a day. Pileus always smooth.

None known to be edible.

Photographed by Dr. J.R. Weist.Plate CIII.COPRINUS COMATUS.

* Comati.Furnished with a ring, etc.

C. coma´tusFr.—coma, hair. (PlateCIII.)Pileus2–7 in. high, white, fleshy, at first oblong, becoming bell-shaped, seldom expanded, when in mature deliquescing state, splitting at the margin along the line of the gills, the cuticle, except upon the apex, separating into shaggy, often concentric scales, at times yellowish, at others tinged with purplish-black.Gillsfree from the stem, crowded and at first cohering, broad, white then tinged with pink or salmon color, then purple to black and dissolving into ink.Stemup to 10 in. long, up to ⅝ in. thick, attenuated upward, most part concealed within the cap, hollow, but with spider-web threads within, smooth or fibrillose, white or lilac-white, easily pulling out of cap, brittle.Ringthin, torn, sometimes entire and movable.

On rich soil, lawns, gardens, roads, dumps, especially where ashes have been placed. Solitary or in large dense clusters. August until after frost, but it is occasionally found during the spring months.

Spores elliptical, black, 13–18µ longPeck. Almost black, elliptical, 13–18×7–8µMassee; 11–13×6–8µK.; 15×8µW.G.S.Var.brev´icepsPk.Pileusbefore expansion subovate, shorter and broader than in the typical form, 1.5–2.5 in. high. Dumping ground. Albany. November.H. Neiman.Peck, 49th Rep.

Coprinus comatus is common to the United States. In its perfection it is a stately and beautiful plant. I have seen it with the oblong capeight inches long, but its usual height is from 2–4 in. It occurs after hard rain and often in the most unexpected places. It is a rather domestic species, usually in troops, but often in clusters of from five to fifty individuals. I have seen it lift firmly sodded ground about railroad stations, and again, bulging the surface of gardens like mole-hills.

There are toadstools of higher flavor, but not one of greater delicacy. In this C. comatus is not excelled from its earliest stage until fully ripened. It is everywhere commended.

Lafayette B. Mendel, in American Journal of Physiology, gives the following analysis:

The specimens were freshly gathered and had not yet turned “inky.” They varied very widely in size, thirty-six mushrooms weighing 1485 grams, of which 980 grams belonged to the caps (pileus) and 505 grams to the stems. The average weight of a fresh specimen was thus:

A specimen which had attained the average growth weighed:

An analysis yielded the following results:

The dry substance contained:

C. soboli´ferusFr.Pileus1½-2½ in. across, subcylindrical, then oval bell-shaped, lower half of pileus usually undulate but not furrowed or striate, disk obtuse, usually depressed, distinctly scaly, dingy white, toward the apex tinged with pale brown, scales darker.Fleshvery thin.Gillsfree, tapering toward each end, ¼ in. or more broad, crowded, pale then blackish.Stem5–8 in. long, ¾ in. thick at thebase, slightly attenuated upward, silky-white, stuffed; toward the base there is a depressed zone caused by the edge of the pileus when young.Ringfugacious.Sporeselliptical, 15×7µ.

Amongst grass near to trunks, buried wood, etc. A very large and beautiful species, distinguished from Coprinus atramentarius, its nearest ally, by the larger size of every part, the costate (ribbed) or waved lower portion of the pileus, the truncate, depressed disk, with distinct squamules, the whitish color of the pileus, and the imperfectly hollow or stuffed stem.

Sporeselliptical, 15×7µMassee.

Almshouse grounds, Philadelphia. On maple roots in grass-grown places, May, 1897–1898.McIlvaine.Not previously noted in United States.

C. soboliferus is a substantial food-giving species, very heavy for its size. It grows singly and in clusters and will immediately attract attention, wherever found. It is of fine flavor and substance. Cook at once.

C. ova´tus(Schaeff.) Fr.—ovum, an egg.Pileuswhite, somewhat membranaceous,at the first egg-shaped and densely imbricated with thick spreading concentric scales, covered with an even hood at the apex, then expanded, striate.Stem3–4 in. long, solid at the base, rooting, otherwise hollow, with spider-web threads within, attenuated upward, downy, shining white.Ringnot very conspicuous and soon vanishing.Gillsfree, remote, slightly ventricose, at the first somewhat naked and remaining long shining white,at length umber-blackish, never becoming purple.

Smaller, thinner, less handsome than C. comatus. For the most part solitary.Fries.

Spores11–12×7–8µMassee.

On rich ground, dumps, etc. Same habitat as C. comatus.

West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey.McIlvaine.

So closely allied to C. comatus that it is with difficulty distinguished from it. However, its edible qualities are the same, and into these the name does not enter.

Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine.PLATE CII.Fig.Page.Fig.Page.1.Coprinus atramentarius,3733.Panaeolus solidipes,3852.Coprinus micaceus,3784.Panaeolus solidipes (section),385

Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine.PLATE CII.

C. sterquili´nusFr.—sterquilinium, a dunghill.Pileusabout 2 in. across when expanded, conical, then expanded, sulcate more than halfway from margin to disk, at first villous or silky, disk rather fleshy with rough scales, silvery-gray, tinged with brown at the apex.Fleshthin.Gillsfree, ventricose, about 2 lines broad, pale then umber-purple.Stem4–6 in. high, slightly attenuated upward, white, fibrillose, hollow, thickened base solid, and booted for about an inch from the base, margin of sheath ending in a free border or ring.

On dung. A fine large species known by the scaly apex of the pileus, the basal portion of the stem surrounded by a volva-like, adnate structure with a free upper margin. The stem soon becomes black when bruised. Base of stem not rooting but abrupt, and furnished with a few white fibers.Massee.

Edible,Cooke, 1891; alsoLeuba.

Nova Scotia,Dr. Somers.

This species is not reported as found in the United States.

** Atramentarii.Ring imperfect, etc.

C. atramenta´rius(Bull.) Fr.—atramentum, ink. (PlateCII, fig. 1, p. 372.)Pileus1½-4 in. across, ovate, expanding, grayish, lead-color or grayish-brown, with occasionally a few obscure scales on disk, often covered with bloom; margin ribbed, sometimes notched, soft, tender.Gillsfree, ventricose, up to ½ in. broad, crowded and at first cohering and white with white floccose edges, then becoming black and dissolving into ink.Stemup to 5 in. long, up to ½ in. thick, smooth, whitish, hollow, at first spindle-shaped, then attenuated upward, with more or less distinct ring near base.

Sporessubcylindrical, large cystidia numerous, 12×6µMassee; 9–10×6µK.; 9×5µW.G.S.; 8–10µ longPeck.

Indiana,H.I. Miller; Harrisburg, Pa.,Dr. J.H. Fager; West Virginia,McIlvaine.

The stem is obscurely banded within, by which it may be recognized with certainty.

It grows singly or in clusters of many individuals on rich ground, whether lawns, gardens, gutter sides, or in woods, but not on dung. I know of a fine cluster growing year after year on a much-decayed pear-stump. Occasionally it appears in the spring months, but is common during the summer and autumn after rains, and from its first appearanceit occurs in successive crops until stopped by severe frost. It is common in Europe and over the United States.

The flavor is higher than that of C. comatus. It should be cooked as soon as gathered, and kept in a cool place until needed.

Analysis shows the following:

Two separate, freshly-gathered lots of this species were examined. The one (a) contained six young small specimens weighing 5.5 grams, or .9 gram each; the other (b) contained eight mushrooms weighing 12 grams, or 1.5 grams each. An analysis gave:

C. fusces´cens(Schaeff.) Fr.—fuscus, dark or swarthy.Pileus1–1¼ in. across, submembranaceous, ovate, expanded, dull, disk rather fleshy, even or cracked into squamules, grayish-brown, disk reddish.Gillsadfixed, blackish-umber.Stem4–5 in. long, about ¼ in. thick, equal, fragile, hollow, subfibrillose.Ringindistinct or absent, whitish.Massee.

Smaller and more slender than Coprinus atramentarius.Pileusbrownish-gray, disk becoming reddish, not sprinkled with micaceous particles, but at first covered with a mealy bloom.Gillsadnexed, attenuated from the stem to the margin, deliquescent.Fries.

Sporeselliptical, pointed at the ends, 10x6µMassee; 10x5µW.G.S.

Solitary and in tufts. On stumps, trunks, etc. May to October.

West Philadelphia, Pa.,McIlvaine.

C. fuscescens is tender, delicate and of excellent flavor. In this it ranks with C. atramentarius.

(Plate CIV.)Coprinus macrosporus.Enlarged one-third.

(Plate CIV.)

Coprinus macrosporus.Enlarged one-third.

C. macro´sporusPk.Pileusovate, then expanded, rimose-striate (cracked in lines), obscurely floccose-squamulose, white, the small even brownish disk scaly.Lamellæcrowded, free, white then black.Stemglabrous, white, with traces of an annulus (ring) near the thickened or subbulbous base.

Sporesvery large, elliptical, 20–20.5 long, 12–16µ broad.

Plantcespitose, 2–3 in. high.Pileus1–2 in. broad.Stem1 line thick.

Ground in open fields. Ticonderoga. August.

The prominent characters of this species are the cracked pileus, squamose disk, free lamellæ and large spores. In its early state it resembles some species of Lepiota. It seems to be intermediate between the sections Atramentarii and Micacei.Peck, 31st Rep. N.Y. State Bot.

Found in quantity at Mt. Gretna, Pa. August to September, 1898, growing among old stable bedding on parade ground.

C. macrosporus is an excellent species, higher in flavor than any other Coprinus.

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