The pileus is convex to expanded, sometimes broadly umbonate, drab in color, the surface wrinkled or rugose, and watery in appearance. The flesh is thin and the margin incurved.
The gills are at first drab in color, but lighter than the pileus, becoming pinkish in age. The spores on paper are very light salmon-color. They are globose or rounded in outline, 5-7 angled, with an oil globule, 8-10, in diameter.
The stem is of the same color as the pileus, but lighter, striate, hollow, somewhat twisted, and enlarged below. The above accurate description was taken from Atkinson"s Studies of American Fungi. The plants were found near a slate cut on the B. & O. railroad near Chillicothe. Not edible. This species and E. grisea are very closely related. The latter is darker in color, with narrower gills, and has a different habitat.
_Entoloma subcostatum. Atkinson n. sp._
[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate x.x.x. Figure 198.--Entoloma subcostatum.
Mature plants showing broad gills and very thin flesh, also fibrous striate stems.]
Subcostatum means somewhat ribbed, referring to the gills.
Plants gregarious or in troups or cl.u.s.ters, 6-8 cm. high; pileus 4-8 cm. broad; stems 1-1.5 cm. thick.
The pileus is dark-gray to hair-brown or olive-brown, often subvirgate with darker lines; gills light salmon-color, becoming dull; stem colored as the pileus, but paler; in drying the stems usually become as dark as the pileus.
Pileus subviscid when moist, convex to expanded, plane or subgibbous, not umbonate, irregular, repand, margin incurved; flesh white, rather thin, very thin toward the margin.
Gills are broad, 1-1.5 cm. broad, narrowed toward the margin of the pileus, deeply sinuate, the angles usually rounded, adnexed, easily becoming free, edge usually pale, sometimes connected by veins, sometimes costate, especially toward the margin of the pileus.
Basidia four-spored. Spores subglobose, about six angles, 8-10 in diameter, some slightly longer in the direction of the apiculus, pale-rose under the microscope.
Stem even, fibrous striate, outer bark subcartilaginous, flesh white, stuffed, becoming fistulose.
Odor somewhat of old meal and nutty, not pleasant; taste similar.
Related to E. prunuloides, Fr., and E. clypeatum, Linn. Differs from the former in dark stem and uneven pileus, differs from the latter in being subviscid, with even stem, and pileus not umbonate and much more irregular, and differs from both in subcostate gills. _Atkinson_.
The specimens in Plate x.x.x grew in gra.s.sy ground on the campus of the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. They were collected by R. A.
Young and photographed by Dr. W. A. Kellerman, and through his courtesy I publish it. The plants were found the last of October, 1906.
_Entoloma salmonea. Pk._
[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 199.--Entoloma salmonea.]
Pileus thin, conical or campanulate, subacute, rarely with a minute papilla at the apex, smooth, of a peculiar soft, ochraceous color, slightly tinged with salmon or flesh color.
The gills and stem are colored like the pileus. _Peck._
Dr. Peck says, "It is with some hesitation that this is proposed as a species, its resemblance to another species is so close. The only difference is found in its color and in the absence of the prominent cusp of that plant. In both species the pileus is so thin that in well dried specimens, slender, dark, radiating lines on it, mark the position of the lamellae beneath, although in the living plant these are not visible." The plant in Figure 199 was found in Purgatory Swamp near Boston, by Mrs. Blackford. They are found in August and September.
_Entoloma clypeatum. Linn._
THE BUCKLER ENTOLOMA.
_Clypeatum, a shield or buckler._ The pileus is slightly fleshy, lurid when moist, when dry gray and rather shining, streaked, spotted, campanulate, then expanded, umbonate, smooth, watery.
Gills just reaching the stem, rounded, ventricose, somewhat distant, minutely toothed, dirty flesh-color.
The stem is stuffed, then hollow, equal, round, clothed with small fibers, becoming pale, covered with a minute powdery substance. The flesh is white when dry. This plant will be distinguished usually by the amount of white mycelium at the base of the stem. Dr. Herbst remarks that it is a genuine Entoloma. It is certainly a beautiful plant when fully developed. It is found in woods and in rich grounds from May till September. Label it poisonous until its reputation is established.
_c.l.i.topilus. Fr._
c.l.i.topilus is from _c.l.i.tos_, a declivity; pilos, a cap. This genus has neither volva nor ring. It is often more or less eccentric, margin at first involute; stem fleshy, diffused upward into the pileus; the gills are white at first, then pink or salmon-color as the plant matures and the spores begin to fall; decurrent, never notched. The pileus is more or less depressed, darker in the center. The spores are salmon-color, in some cases rather pale, smooth or warted. c.l.i.topilus is closely related to c.l.i.tocybe, the latter having white gills, the former pink. It differs from Entoloma just as c.l.i.tocybe differs from Tricholoma. It can always be distinguished from Eccilia because the stem is never cartilaginous at the surface. It differs from the genus, Flammula, mainly in the color of the spores.
_c.l.i.topilus prunulus. Scop._
THE PLUM c.l.i.tOPILUS. EDIBLE.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 200.--c.l.i.topilus prunulus.]
Prunulus means a small plum; so called from the white bloom covering the plant.
The pileus is two to four inches broad, fleshy, firm; at first convex, then expanded, at length becoming slightly depressed, often eccentric, as will be seen in Figure 200; whitish, often covered with a frost-like bloom, margin often wavy, bending backward.
The gills are strongly decurrent, comparatively few of full length, white, then flesh-color.
The stem is solid, white, naked, striate, short. Spores, 7-85.
This is one of the most interesting plants because of the various forms it presents.
I have found it in various parts of the state and frequently about Chillicothe. It has a pleasant taste, and an odor reminding you of new meal. It is tender and its flavor is excellent.
Found in woods or open woods, especially where it is damp, and under beech trees, as well as oak. Found from June to October.
The plants in Figure 200 were collected near Ashville, N. C., and photographed by Prof. H. C. Beardslee.
_c.l.i.topilus orcellus. Bull._
THE SWEET-BREAD c.l.i.tOPILUS. EDIBLE.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 201.--c.l.i.topilus orcellus.]
Orcellus is a diminutive meaning a small cask; from _orca_, a cask.
The pileus is fleshy, soft, plane, or slightly depressed, often irregular, even when young; slightly silky, somewhat viscid when moist; white or yellowish-white, flesh white, taste and odor farinaceous.
The gills are deeply decurrent, close, whitish, then flesh-color.
The stem is short, solid, flocculose, often eccentric, thickened above.
The spores are elliptical, 9-105. _Peck_, 42d Rep. N. Y.