_Marasmius urens_
There are two other species of mushroom which might possibly be
mistaken for the above by the casual eye, but which are easily
distinguishable on careful examination. The first of these is the
false Champignon (Plate 9, fig. 1). The most important distinguishing
features are italicized. They will be seen to afford a striking
contrast to the true edible species in these especial characters.
The pileus is pale buff, convex, central mound absent; the cap varies
from one-half to one and a half inches in diameter, and is thus
slightly smaller than the "true" fairy-ring; gills, yellowish brown,
narrow, and _crowded_, twenty-five or more to the inch at circumference
in good specimen, curving upward at junction with stem, thus "free"
from actual attachment; stem, solid, clothed with _whitish down_,
especially noticeable at the base; cup, none; _taste, acrid_. This
last quality alone should distinguish the species, which, moreover,
usually grows in _woods_, though occasionally found upon the lawn in
association with the edible species.
[Illustration: _Marasmius urens Marasmius peronatus_]
_PLATE IX_