whether above or under ground. It has few distinct features. The only
positive one distinguishing it from P. ostreatus is its lilac-tinted
spores. The tint is faint but noticeable upon white background.
Excepting for purposes of the student, its separation, as a species,
from P. ostreatus is not necessary. When old it has more body than the
latter, but is equally superior as a food fungus.
Professor Peck remarks of it: “A stew made of it is a very good
substitute for an oyster stew.”
It can be cultivated by watering the places upon which it is known to
appear.
=P. pome´ti= Fr.—_pometum_, an orchard. =Pileus= white, fleshy, soft,
sub-flaccid, irregular, involute, convex, even, smooth, disk depressed.
=Gills= decurrent, crowded, separate behind. =Stem= 2–3 in. high, 3–4
lines thick, excentric, solid, tough, ascending, rooting.
On trunks of pear and apple trees.
Especially distinguished by the rooting stem.
North Carolina, edible, _Curtis_; California, _H. and M._
**** _Gills decurrent. Stem lateral, etc._
=P. ostrea´tus= Jacq.—_ostrea_, an oyster. (Plate XXXV, p. 134, XXXV_a_,
p. 142.) =Pileus= 3–5 in. broad, when young almost becoming black, _soon
becoming pale_, brownish-ash color, passing into yellow when old,
fleshy, _soft, shell-shaped_, somewhat dimidiate, _ascending_, smooth,
moist, even, but sometimes with the cuticle torn into squamules. =Stem=
shortened or obliterated, firm, elastic, ascending obliquely,
_thickening upward_, white, strigoso-villous at the base. =Gills=
_decurrent, anastomosing behind, somewhat distant_, broad, white,
sometimes turning light yellow, _and without glandules_.
For the most part cespitose, imbricated, very variable, sometimes almost
central. The pileus is at first convex and horizontal, then expanded and
ascending. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 10–12×4–5µ _Massee_; 7.5–10×4µ _Peck_.
General over the United States.
Var. _glandulo´sus_ Ag. g. Bull.—With the habit of the typical form, but
larger. Pileus dark brown, becoming pale. Gills white, with scattered
small wart-like or glandular bodies.
On trunks. A very constant but somewhat rare variety; easily known by
the dark-brown pileus. The gland-like bodies on the gills are due to the
outward growth of the hyphæ of the trama in minute patches here and
there. _Massee._
Var. _euos´mus_ Berk.—strong-smelling. Strong scented, imbricate. Pileus
fleshy, depressed, shining, silky when dry, at first white with a tinge
of blue, then brownish. Stem short or obsolete. Gills decurrent,
ventricose, dingy, white. =Spores= 12–14×5µ, pale pinkish-lilac.
On elm trunks. Pilei very much crowded, 2 in. or more across, deeply
depressed, unequal, at first white, invested with a slight blue varnish,
at length of a pale brown. Stems distinct above, connate below. Gills
rather broad; running down to the bottom of the free portion of the
stem. Spores oblong, narrow, oblique, white, tinged with purple. The
whole plant smells, when first gathered, strongly of tarragon. _B. and
Br._
Found at Richmond, Ind., _Dr. J.R. Weist_. On hickory stump at Mt.
Gretna, Pa., _McIlvaine_; Haddonfield, N.J., _T.J. Collins_.
This esculent fungus closely allied to P. ostreatus, and differing only
in having lilac spores, has been followed from book to book by a bad
reputation, probably because of its “rosy” or lilac spores—all fungi
having pink spores having been, until recently, ignorantly branded by
authors as poisonous. The writer has eaten meals of it many times, as
have his friends. It is in every way equal to P. ostreatus.
The rare qualities of this species are stated in the descriptive heading
of the genus. Its very name implies excellence. The camel is gratefully
called the ship of the desert; the oyster mushroom is the shellfish of
the forest. When the tender parts are dipped in egg, rolled in bread
crumbs, and fried as an oyster they are not excelled by any vegetable,
and are worthy of place in the daintiest menu.
=P. salig´nus= Schwam.—_salix_, willow. =Pileus= 2–3 in. broad, sooty
ash-color or ochraceous, fleshy, compact, _spongy_, somewhat dimidiate,
_horizontal_, at first pulvinate, even, at length depressed behind and
here and there strigose, the incurved margin entire. =Stem= always
short, firm, more or less tomentose. =Gills= horizontal, hence less
manifestly decurrent, separate behind, but _branched in the middle_,
crowded, dingy, often eroded at the edge, not glandular.
Among the larger and firmer species. Solitary, scarcely ever cespitose.
It is commonly confounded with A. ostreatus, but is certainly a
different species. Although the stature is in general the same, it is
easily distinguished by the pileus being more compact, and more
pulverulent when young, then depressed, by the gills being thinner, more
crowded, somewhat branched, but not anastomosing behind, and dingy
soot-color; the spores also are dingy. _Stevenson._
=Spores= oblong or cylindrical-oblong, 8×4µ _W.G.S._; 8–10×3–4µ _B._
Dr. Curtis wrote of this: “Indeed I have found several persons who class
this among the most palatable species. To such persons a dish of fresh
mushrooms need seldom be wanting, as this one can be had every month of
the year in this latitude.”
In New Jersey, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pa., I have found P.
salignus in quantity. It has been sent to me by Dr. J.R. Weist, of
Richmond, Ind., who writes, “I have eaten it with great enjoyment.”
In 1881 I found it frequently on water beeches and willows, and
thoroughly tested its edible qualities. _R.K. Macadam_, Boston.
When young or fresh, it is quite equal to any Pleurotus. When old, as
with others of the Pleuroti, it is tough. Nevertheless their margins are
always edible unless decaying.
II.—DIMIDIA´TI.
=P. petaloi´des= Bull.—petal of a flower. =Pileus= 1–2 in. long,
_dingy-brown_, becoming pale, dimidiate, fleshy, but in no wise compact,
rather plane, _somewhat spathulate_, continuous with the stem and
_depressed behind_, hence the villous down of the stem ascends to this
point (the disk) of the pileus, otherwise smooth, even, margin at first
involute then expanded. =Stem= about ½ in. long, sometimes however very
short, solid, firm, _compressed, channeled_ when larger, more or less
villous, whitish. =Gills= _decurrent, very crowded_, very narrow
(scarcely beyond 2 mm. broad), linear, very unequal, white then
ash-color.
Taste bitter. The form on wood is somewhat horizontal, gregarious here
and there imbricated. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 9–10×4µ _Massee_; 8×4µ _W.G.S._; minutely globose, 3–4µ _Peck_.
Edible. _Cooke_, _Cordier_.
=P. spathula´tus= Pers.—shaped like a spathula. =Pileus= rather thin,
1–2 in. broad, ascending, spathulate, tapering behind into the stem,
glabrous, convex or depressed on the disk and there sometimes pubescent,
alutaceous or brownish tinged with gray, red or yellow. =Gills= crowded,
linear, decurrent, whitish or yellowish. =Stem= compressed, sometimes
channeled above, grayish-tomentose. =Spores= elliptical, 7.6×4–5µ broad;
odor and taste farinaceous.
Ground. Sandlake. June. Edible.
It grows singly or in tufts and is an inch or more in height. The margin
is thin and sometimes striatulate and reflexed. Toward the base the
flesh is thicker than the breadth of the gills. The cuticle is tough and
separable. The flesh is said by Gillet to be tender and delicate.
Persoon describes the disk as spongy-squamulose, but in our specimens it
is merely pubescent or tomentose. _Peck_, 39th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Recorded as edible by Professor Peck. At Eagle’s Mere, Pa., I found many
specimens agreeing with this description. They grew from decaying wood
under ground, yet had the appearance of growing from the earth. It is
probable that others have been deceived. In quality I found this to be
one of the best.
=P. sero´tinus= Fr.—late. =Pileus= fleshy, 1–3 in. broad, compact,
convex or nearly plane, viscid when young and moist, dimidiate
kidney-shaped or suborbicular, solitary or cespitose and imbricated,
variously colored, dingy-yellow, reddish-brown, greenish-brown or
olivaceous, the margin at first involute. =Gills= close, determinate,
whitish or yellowish. =Stem= very short, lateral, thick, yellowish
beneath and minutely tomentose or squamulose with blackish points.
=Spores= minute, elliptical, 5µ long, 2.5µ broad.
Dead trunks of deciduous trees. _Peck_, 39th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Mt. Gretna, Pa., 1887, and at Mt. Moriah, near Philadelphia, from August
until November, 1898. Upon these findings the pileus was tomentose at
base, as was the short stem.
The species is not noticeably viscid after its youth. The viscidity can
be detected in old specimens by moistening the pileus. Its flavor is not
marked, nor is its texture as pleasing as most others of its genus, but
being a late species it satisfies the longing of the mycophagist for his
accustomed food.
=P. pulmona´rius= Fr.—_pulmo_, lung, from texture. =Pileus= 2–3 in.
broad, _ash-colored_, continuous with the stem, fleshy, soft, but tough,
_flaccid_, _obovate_ or kidney-shaped, plane or reflexo-conchate at the
margin, even, _smooth_. =Flesh= thin, soft, white. =Stem= very short,
solid, exactly lateral, _horizontal_ or ascending, _round_, _villous_,
expanded into the pileus. =Gills= decurrent but _ending determinately_,
_moderately broad_, distinct, not branched or anastomosing at the base,
livid or _ash-color_.
The primary form is solitary. The pileus is ashy-tan when dried. It
differs from A. salignus alike in the definitely lateral stem and in the
thin flaccid pileus. _Fries._
Not previously reported.
Found by Miss Madeleine Le Moyne, Washington, Pa., September, 1898, and
sent to writer. Gills 3 lines broad, not narrow in proportion to flesh.
Taste and smell similar to P. ostreatus. Cooked it is tender, and more
succulent than P. ostreatus.
III.—RESUPINA´TI.
=P. mastruca´tus= Fr.—_mastruca_, a sheepskin. =Pileus= up to 2 in. long
and 1 in. broad, sessile, at first resupinate then expanded and
horizontal, often lobed, upper stratum of pileus gelatinous, brown,
bristling with squarrose or erect squamules. =Flesh= thickish. =Gills=
radiating from the point of attachment, broad, rather distant,
grayish-white.
On old trunks. Imbricated. Readily distinguished by the brown,
squarrosely scaly pileus. _Massee._
=Spores= oblong, oblique, 8×5µ _Morgan_.
In June, 1886, the writer found this species in oak woods near
Philadelphia. It grew on fallen trunks and on decaying spots of living
timber.
It is edible, and of good flavor, but is rough in the mouth. If found in
quantity, the extract of it would make a delicate soup.
[Illustration: Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine.
PLATE XXXVII.]
FIG. PAGE. FIG. PAGE.
1. HYGROPHORUS PRATENSIS (WHITE 5. HYGROPHORUS
VAR.), 152 CANTHARELLUS, 156
2. HYGROPHORUS PRATENSIS (COLORED 6. HYGROPHORUS VIRGINEUS,
VAR.), 152 153
3. HYGROPHORUS PRATENSIS (AFTER 7. HYGROPHORUS NIVEUS,
RAIN), 152 153
4. HYGROPHORUS MINIATUS, 159
HYGROPH´ORUS Fr.
_Gr._—moist; _Gr._—to bear.
(Plate XXXVIII.)
[Illustration: HYGROPHORUS PRATENSIS.]
=Pileus= regular or undulated and wavy, often viscid or moist. =Flesh=
of the pileus continuous with that of the stem and descending as a trama
into the gills. =Gills= adnate or adnexed, more or less decurrent,
_waxy_, often thick and forked, _edge always thin and sharp_, often
branched.
On the ground. Many species are brightly colored. =Spores= white.
This genus differs from the preceding genera in the manifest trama, the
substance of which is similar to that of the pileus; from Lactarius and
Russula by the trama not being vesicular, but somewhat floccose with
granules intermixed; from Cantharellus, its nearest ally, by the sharp
edge of the gills. The Cortinarii, Paxilli and Gomphidii are at once
distinguished from it by their colored spores and the changing color of
their gills, as well as by other marks. From all the other genera of
Agaricini it is distinguished by a mark peculiar to itself, viz., by the
hymeneal stratum of the gills changing into a waxy mass, which is at
length removable from the trama. This altogether singular character is
specially remarkable in H. caprinus, coccineus, murinaceus, etc. Hence
the gills seem full of watery juice, but they do not become milky like
those of the Lactarii. _Fries._
From the description by Fries, the author of the genus, it is manifest
that one has to wait the ripening of the fungus before the peculiar
characteristic mark of the genus, _i. e._—gills turning into a waxy
mass, easily removable from the cap—can be observed. Many of the species
are difficult to determine when fresh. Nevertheless, there is an
indescribable, watery, waxy, translucent appearance about the gills
which catches the eye of the expert, and is soon learned by the novice.
The white spores readily separate the genus from kindred shapes in the
colored-spored genera.
So far as tested none of the species is poisonous. One English species
is fetid. It is probable that they are all edible, varying in quality
only. Fries well, and is superior in croquettes and patties.
ANALYSIS OF TRIBES.
LIMACIUM (_limax_, a slug). Page 148.
Universal veil viscid, with occasionally a floccose partial one, which
is annular or marginal.
* White or becoming yellowish.
** Reddish.
*** Tawny or yellow.
**** Olivaceous-umber.
***** Dingy cinereous or livid.
None known to be edible.
CAMAROPHYLLUS (_Gr._—a vault; a leaf). Page 152.
(From the arched shape of the gills.)
Veil none. Stem even, smooth or fibrillose, not rough with points.
Pileus firm, opaque, moist after rain, not viscid. Gills distant,
arcuate.
* Gills deeply and at length obconically decurrent.
** Gills ventricose, sinuately arcuate or plano-adnate.
HYGROCYBE (_Gr_—moist; _Gr_—the head). Page 155.
Veil none. Whole fungus thin, watery, succulent, fragile. Pileus when
moist viscid, shining when dry, rarely floccoso-scaly. Stem hollow,
soft, without dots. Gills soft. Most of the species are brightly colored
and shining. This tribe is the type of the genus.
* Gills decurrent.
** Gills adnexed, somewhat separating.
LIMA´CIUM.
* _White or yellowish-white._
=H. chry´sodon= Fr. _Gr_—gold; a tooth. From tooth-like squamules.
=Pileus= 2–3 in. broad, _white_, shining when dry, but commonly
yellowish with minute adpressed squamules at the disk, light
yellow-_flocculose at the involute margin_, fleshy, convex then plane,
obtuse, viscid. =Flesh= white, sometimes reddish. =Stem= 2–3 in. long,
about ½ in. thick, stuffed, soft, somewhat equal (sometimes, however,
irregularly shaped or thickened at the base), white, with minute _light
yellow squamules_, which are more crowded and arranged in the form of a
ring _toward the apex_. =Gills= decurrent, distant, 3 lines broad, thin,
white, somewhat yellowish at the edge, sometimes crisped.
Odor not unpleasant. There is a manifest _veil_, not woven into a
continuous ring, but _collected in the form of floccose squamules at the
apex of the stem and the margin of the pileus_. Var. leucodon with white
squamules. _Fries._
In woods.
The lamellæ are said to be crisped, and when young, to have the edge
yellow-floccose; but I have seen no such specimens. _Peck_, 23d Rep.
N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= 8×4µ _Cooke_.
West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. _McIlvaine._
A pleasant, excellent species, whose rarity is regrettable.
=H. ebur´neus= Bull. Fr.—_ebur_, ivory. Wholly _shining white_. =Pileus=
fleshy, sometimes thin, sometimes somewhat compact, convexo-plane,
somewhat repand, even, _very glutinous_ in rainy weather, _margin soon
naked_. =Stem= sometimes short, sometimes elongated, stuffed then
hollow, unequal, _glutinous_ like the pileus, _rough at the apex with
dots in the form of squamules_. =Gills= decurrent, distant, veined at
the base, 3–4 lines broad, tense and straight, quite entire. _Fries._
Odor mild, not unpleasant. Very changeable. The veil is absent, unless
the _very plentiful gluten_ which envelops the stem be regarded as a
universal veil; _margin of the young pileus_ involute, only at the first
_pubescent_, _soon naked_. The stem is soft internally, at length
hollow, attenuated toward the base.
In woods and pastures. Frequent. September to October. _Stevenson._
The whole plant is pure white when fresh, but in drying the gills assume
a cinnamon-brown hue. _Peck_, Rep. 26.
=Spores= 6×5µ _Cooke_; 4×5µ _W.G.S._; 5–6µ _K._; 6×4µ _C.B.P._
A common and wide-spread species frequenting woods and pastures.
Edible. _Curtis._
The author ate it in West Virginia, in 1882; at Devon, Pa., 1887;
Haddonfield, N.J., 1890. It is well flavored but in texture is not of
first quality.
=H. pena´rius= Fr.—_penus_, food. =Pileus= _tan-color, opaque_, fleshy,
especially when young, at first umbonate, then very obtuse,
hemispherical then flattened, even, smooth, _commonly dry_, margin at
first involute, exceeding the gills, undulated when flattened. =Flesh=
thick, hard, whitish, unchangeable. =Stem= curt, 1½ in. or more long,
about ½ in. thick at the apex, _solid, compact_, hard, _attenuated at
the base into a spindle-shaped root_, ventricose to the neck, again
attenuated upward or wholly fusiform-attenuated, pale-white, smeared
with tenacious, easily dried slime, _warty_. =Flesh= firm, but
_externally more rigid_, cuticle somewhat fragile. =Veil= not
conspicuous. =Gills= adnato-decurrent, acute behind, _distant, thick_,
3–4 lines broad, veined, tan inclining to pale. _Fries._
Odor pleasant, taste sweet. The fusiform root is as long as the stem.
In mixed woods. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 7–8×4–5µ.
Edible. _Cooke_.
Large specimens occurred in mixed woods, in November, 1898, at Mt.
Gretna. The caps varied from 1½-5 in. across. The color was white,
tinged with yellow, much lighter than described. The caps look coarse
and the stems are not inviting; but the caps have a pleasant odor. When
stewed for twenty minutes they are meaty and tasty.
** _Reddish._
=H. erubes´cens= Fr.—_erubesco_, to become red. =Pileus= 2–4 in. and
more broad, white becoming everywhere red, fleshy, gibbous then
convexo-plane, viscid, _adpressedly dotted with squamules or becoming
smooth_, sometimes wholly compact, sometimes thin towards the _margin
which is at the first naked_. =Flesh= firm, white. =Stem= sometimes
short, robust, 2 in. long, 1 in. thick and attenuated upward, sometimes
elongated, 4 in. long, equal or attenuated at the base, _solid_,
flexuous, _with red fibrils, dotted with red upward_. =Gills= decurrent,
distant, _soft, white, with red spots_. _Fries._
Veil none. The ground color is white, as it is also internally, but it
everywhere becomes red and the pileus often rosy blood-color. Handsome,
growing in troops, commonly forming large lax circles.
In pine woods. _Stevenson._
=Spores= ellipsoid, very obtuse at both ends, 8–10×4–5µ _K_.; 8×4µ
_Cooke_.
Edible. _Cooke._
*** _Tawny or yellow._
=H. ni´tidus= B. and Rav.—_shining_. =Pileus= thin, fleshy, convex,
broadly umbilicate, smooth, shining, viscid, pale yellow with the margin
striatulate when moist, nearly white when dry. =Gills= arcuate,
decurrent, yellow. =Stem= slender, brittle, smooth, viscid, hollow,
yellow. =Flesh= yellow.
=Height= 2–4 in., breadth of =Pileus= 8–12 lines. =Stem= 1–2 lines
thick.
Swamps. Sandlake. August.
The cavity of the stem is very small. _Peck_, 23d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Found in many states and places, usually on moist ground beside streams,
or spring heads. It sometimes parades itself in irregular processions,
at others in sparse patches. It is delicate in flavor, and tender
cooked.
**** _Olivaceous-umber._
=H. limaci´nus= Fr.—_limax_, a slug. =Pileus= 1½-2½ in. broad, _disk
umber then sooty_, paler round the margin, fleshy, convex then
flattened, obtuse, smooth, viscid. =Flesh= rather firm, white. =Stem=
2–3 in. long, ½ in. thick, _solid_, firm, ventricose, _sticky_,
flocculose, fibrilloso-striate, _roughened with squamules at the apex_.
=Gills= adnate, then decurrent, somewhat distant, thin, _white inclining
to ash-color_. _Fries._
Veil entirely viscous, not floccose.
In woods among damp leaves. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 12×4µ _Cooke_.
New York, _Peck_, Rep. 34. Thin woods and open places.
Reported edible Bulletin No. 5, 1897, Boston Mycological Club.
=H. hypoth´ejus= Fr. _Gr._—under; _Gr_—sulphur (under gluten). =Pileus=
1–2 in. broad, _at first smeared with olivaceous gluten_, ash-colored,
when the gluten disappears, becoming pale and yellowish, orange or
rarely (when rotting) rufescent, fleshy, _thin_, convex then depressed,
_obtuse_, even, somewhat streaked. =Flesh= thin, white then becoming
light yellow. =Stem= 2–4 in. long, 2–3 lines and more thick, _stuffed_,
equal, _even, viscous_, but rarely spotted with the veil, at length
hollow. Partial _veil_ floccose, at the first _cortinate and annular,
soon fugacious_. =Gills= decurrent, _distant_, distinct, at first pallid
(even whitish) soon _yellow_, sometimes flesh-color. _Fries._
Very protean, changeable in color and variable in size. Stem not
scabrous. There is no trace of the veil when the plant is full grown.
Appearing after the first cold autumn nights, and lasting even till
snow.
In pine woods. Frequent. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 10×6µ _Cooke_; 12×4µ _W.G.S._
Hollis Webster, in Bulletin No. 5, 1897, Boston Mycological Club,
writes: “H. hypothejus Fr., when dried, is crisp and nutty, and very
good to carry in the pocket for occasional nibble.”
II.—CAMAROPHYL´LUS.
* _Gills deeply decurrent, etc._
=H. praten´sis= Fr.—_pratum_, a meadow. (Plate XXXVII, figs. 1, 2, 3, p.
146. Plate XXXVIII, p. 147.) =Pileus= 1–2 in. and more broad, somewhat
pale yellowish, _compactly fleshy especially at the disk, thin toward
the margin_, convex then flattened, _almost top-shaped_ from the stem
being thickened upward, even, smooth, moist (but not viscous) in rainy
weather, when dry often rimosely incised, here and there split regularly
round. =Flesh= firm, white. =Stem= 1½-2 in. long, ½ in. and more thick,
_stuffed_, internally spongy, externally polished-evened and firmer,
_attenuated downward_, even, smooth, naked. =Gills= _remarkably
decurrent_, at _first arcuate, then extended in the form of an inverted
cone_, very distant, thick, firm, brittle, connected by veins at the
base, very broad in the middle, of the same color as the pileus.
_Fries._
Very protean. Veil none. The flesh of the pileus is formed as it were of
the stem dilated upward. The typical form resembles the Cantharelli.
_Everywhere becoming light yellow-tawny_, but varying with the stem and
gills pale-white.
In pastures. Common. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 6×4µ _Cooke_; 6–10×4–6µ _K._
Common over the United States. West Virginia, 1881, North Carolina,
1890, Pennsylvania, 1887, Mt. Gretna, 1897–1898. _McIlvaine._
Gregarious, and often in tufts, sometimes in partial rings.
An exceedingly variable species. White, buff, smoky, pinkish colors are
common. The cap shapes are also diverse. The margins of some are
incurved; of others repand. The weather seems to have much to do with
their shapes.
M.C. Cooke says: “It requires careful cooking, as it is liable to be
condemned as tough, unless treated slowly, but it is a great favorite
abroad.” He calls them “Buff Caps.”
All fungi are the better for slow cooking. The H. pratensis in all its
forms is excellent, but particularly so in croquettes and patés.
=H. virgin´eus= Fr.—_virgo_, a virgin. (Plate XXXVII, fig. 6, p. 146.)
_Wholly white._ =Pileus= fleshy, convex then plane, _obtuse_, moist, _at
length depressed_, cracked into patches, floccose when dry. =Stem=
_curt, stuffed, firm_, attenuated at the base, externally becoming even
and naked. =Gills= decurrent, distant, rather thick. _Fries._