THELEPHORACEAE.
Thelephoraceae is from two Greek words, a teat and to bear. The hymenium
is even, coriaceous, or waxy, costate, or papillose. There are a number
of genera under this family but I am acquainted with only the genus
Craterellus.
_Craterellus. Fr._
Craterellus means a small bowl. Hymenium waxy-membranaceous, distinct
but adnate to the hymenophore, inferior, continuous, smooth, even or
wrinkled. Spores white. _Fries._
_Craterellus cantharellus._ (_Schw._) _Fr._
YELLOW CRATERELLUS. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 378.--Craterellus cantharellus. Caps and stems
yellow.]
Cantharellus is a diminutive from a Greek word meaning a sort of
drinking-cup.
The pileus is one to three inches broad, convex, often becoming
depressed and funnel-shaped, glabrous, yellowish, or pinkish. Flesh
white, tough, elastic.
Hymenium slightly wrinkled, yellow or faint salmon color.
The stem is one to three inches high, tapering downward, smooth, solid,
yellow. The spores are yellowish or salmon color when caught on white
paper, 7.5-10x5-6u. _Peck._
This plant resembles Cantharellus cibarius very closely. The color, form
of growth, and the odor are very similar to the latter. It may be
readily distinguished from C. cibarius by the absence of folds on the
under or fruiting surface. The caps are often large and wavy, resembling
yellow cauliflower. It is quite abundant about Chillicothe during the
months of July and August. I have frequently gathered bushels of it for
my mushroom-friends. It will be easily recognized from Figure 378,
bearing in mind that the caps and stems are yellow.
_Craterellus cornucopioides Fr._
THE HORN OF PLENTY CRATERELLUS. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 379.--Craterellus cornucopioides. One-third
natural size.]
Cornucopioides is from _cornu_, a horn, and _copia_, plenty.
The pileus is thin, flexible, tubiform, hollow to the base,
blackish-brown, sometimes a little scaly, the hymenium even or somewhat
wrinkled, cinereous.
The stem is hollow, smooth, black, short, almost wanting. The spores are
elliptical, whitish, 11-12x7-8u.
No one will have any trouble in recognizing this species, having once
seen its picture and read its description. Its elongated or
trumpet-shaped cap, and its dingy-gray or sooty-brown hue, will at once
distinguish it. The spore-bearing surface is often a little paler than
the upper surface. The cup is often three to four inches long. I have
found it in quite large clusters in the woods near Bowling Green, and
Londonderry, though it is found rather sparingly on the hillsides about
Chillicothe. It has a wide distribution in other states. It does not
look inviting, on account of its color, but it proves a favorite
whenever tested, and may be dried and kept for future use. It is found
from July to September.
_Craterellus dubius. Pk._
[Illustration: Figure 380.--Craterellus dubius. Natural size.]
Dubius means uncertain, from its close resemblance to C. cornucopoides.
The pileus is one to two inches broad, infundibuliform, subfibrillose,
lurid-brown, pervious to the base, the margin generally wavy, lobed.
Hymenium dark cinereous, rugose when moist, the minute crowded irregular
folds abundantly anastomosing; nearly even when dry. The stem is short.
The spores are broadly elliptical or subglobose, 6-7.5u long. _Peck._
It differs from C. cornucopioides in manner of growth, paler color, and
smaller spores.
It is distinguished from Craterellus sinuosus by its pervious stem,
while very similar in color to Cantharellus cinereus.
This plant, like C. cornucopoides, dries readily, and when moistened
expands and becomes quite as good as when fresh. It needs to be stewed
slowly till tender, when it makes a delightful dish.
The plants in Figure 380 were collected near Columbus by R. H. Young and
photographed by Dr. Kellerman. They are found from July to October.
_Corticium. Fr._
Entirely resupinate, hymenium soft and fleshy when moist, collapsing
when dry, often cracked.
_Corticium lacteum. Fr._
This is a very small plant, resupinate, membranaceous, and it is so
named because of the milk-white color underneath. The hymenium is waxy
when moist, cracked when dry.
_Corticium oakesii. B. & C._
The plant is small, waxy-pliant, somewhat coriaceous, cup-shaped, then
explanate, confluent, marginate, externally white-tomentose.
The hymenium is even, contiguous, becoming pallid. Spores elliptical,
appendiculate.
I found very fine specimens of this plant on the Iron-wood, Ostrya
Virginica, which grows on the high school lawn in Chillicothe. In rainy
weather in October and November the bark would be white with the plant.
It resembles a small Peziza at first.
_Corticium incarnatum. Fr._
Waxy when moist, becoming rigid when dry, confluent, agglutinate,
radiating. Hymenium red or flesh-color, covered with a delicate
flesh-colored bloom. Some fine specimens were found on dead chestnut
trees in Poke Hollow.
_Corticium sambucum. Pk._
Effused on elder bark, white, continuous when growing, when dry cracked
or flocculose and collapsing. It grows on the bark or the wood of the
elder.
_Corticium cinereum. Fr._
Waxy when moist, rigid when dry, agglutinate, lurid. The hymenium is
cinereous, with a very delicate bloom. Common on sticks in the woods.
_Thelephora. Fr._
The pileus is without a cuticle, consisting of interwoven fibres.
Hymenium ribbed, of a tough, fleshy substance, rather rigid, then
collapsing and flocculent.
_Thelephora Schweinitzii._
[Illustration: Figure 381.--Thelephora Schweinitzii.]
Schweinitzii is named in honor of the Rev. David Lewis de Schweinitz.
Caespitose, white or pallid. Pilei soft-corinaceous, much branched; the
branches flattened, furrowed and somewhat dilated at the apex.
The stems are variable in length, often connate or fused together into a
solid base.
The hymenium is even, becoming darker colored when older. _Morgan._
This plant is known as T. pallida. It is very abundant on our hillsides
in Ross County, and in fact throughout the state.
_Thelephora laciniata. P._
The pileus is soft, somewhat coriaceous, incrusting, ferruginous-brown.
The pilei are imbricated, fibrous, scaly, margin fimbriated, at first
dirty white. The hymenium is inferior and papillose.
_Thelephora palmata. Fr._
The pileus is coriaceous, soft, erect, palmately branched from a common
stalk; pubescent, purplish-brown; branches flat, even, tips fimbriated,
whitish. The scent is very noticeable soon after it is picked. They grow
on the ground in July and August.
_Thelephora cristata. Fr._
The pileus is incrusting, rather tough, pallid, passing into branches,
the apices compressed, expanded, and beautifully fringed. The plant is
whitish, grayish, or purplish-brown. It is found on moss or stems of
weeds. I found beautiful specimens at Bainbridge Caves.
_Thelephora sebacea. Fr._
The pileus is effused, fleshy, waxy, becoming hard, incrusting,
variable, tuberculose or stalactitic, whitish, circumference similar;
hymenium flocculose, pruinose, or evanescent.
It is found effused over grass. One meets with it often.
_Stereum. Fr._
The hymenium is coriaceous, even, rather thick, concrete with the
intermediate stratum of the pileus, which has a cuticle even and
veinless, remaining unchanged and smooth.
_Stereum versicolor._
[Illustration: Figure 382.--Stereum versicolor.]
Versicolor means changing color, referring to the different bands of
color. The pileus is effused, reflexed, having a number of different
zones; in some plants the zones are more marked than in others, the
zones appearing very much like those in Polyporus versicolor.
The hymenium is even, smooth and brown.
This is a very common plant, found everywhere on old logs and stumps. It
is widely diffused and can be found at any time of the year.
_Stereum spadiceum. Fr._
Pilei coriaceous and spreading, reflexed, villous, somewhat ferruginous;
margin rather obtuse, whitish, even beneath; smooth, brownish, and
bleeding when scratched or bruised.
_Stereum hirsutum. Fr._
Hirsutum means shaggy, hairy. The pilei are coriaceous and spreading,
quite hairy, imbricated, more or less zoned, quite tough, often having a
greenish tinge from the presence of a minute algae; naked, juiceless,
yellowish, unchanged when bruised or scratched. The hymenium is
pale-yellow, smooth, margin entire, often lobed. I find it usually on
hickory logs.
_Stereum fasciatum. Schw._
Fasciatum means bands or fillets. Pileus is coriaceous, plane, villous,
zonate, grayish; hymenium, smooth, pale-red. Growing on decayed trunks.
Common in all of our woods.
_Stereum sericeum. Schw._
[Illustration: Figure 383.--Stereum sericeum.]
Sericeum means silky or satiny; so called from its satin lustre. The
plant is very small and easily overlooked, usually growing in a
resupinate form; sessile, orbiculate, free, papyraceous, with a bright
satin lustre, shining, smooth, pale-grayish color.
The plant grows on both sides of small twigs as is shown in the
photograph. I do not find it on large trunks but it is quite common on
branches. No one will fail to recognize it from its specific name.
When I first observed it I named it S. sericeum, not knowing that there
was a species by that name. I afterwards sent it to Prof. Atkinson and
was surprised to find that I had correctly named it.
_Stereum rugosum. Fr._
Rugosum means full of wrinkles.
Broadly effused, sometimes shortly reflexed; coriaceous, at length thick
and rigid; pileus at length smooth, brownish.
The hymenium is a pale grayish-yellow, changing slightly to a red when
bruised, pruinose. The spores are cylindrico-elliptical, straight,
11-12x4-5u. _Massee._
This is quite variable in form, and agrees with S. sanguinolentum in
becoming red when bruised; but it is thicker and more rigid in
substance, its pores are straighter and larger.
_Stereum purpureum. Pers._
Purpureum means purple, from the color of the plant.
Coriaceous but pliant, effuso-reflexed, more or less imbricated,
tomentose, zoned, whitish or pallid.
The hymenium is naked, smooth, even; in color a pale clear purple,
becoming dingy ochraceous, with only a tinge of purple, when dry. The
spores are elliptical, 7-8x4u.
I found the plant to be very abundant in December and January, in
1906-7, on soft wood corded up at the paper mill in Chillicothe, the
weather being mild and damp.
_Stereum compactum._
Broadly effused, coriaceous, often imbricated and often laterally
joined, pileus thin, zoned, finely strigose, the zones grayish-white and
cinnamon-brown.
The hymenium is smooth, cream-white.
This species is found on decayed limbs and trunks of trees.
_Hymenochaete. Lev._
Hymenochaete is from two Greek words, _hymen_, a membrane; _chaete_, a
bristle.
In this genus the cap or pileus may be attached to the host by a central
stem, or at one side, but most frequently upon its back. The genus is
known by the velvety or bristly appearance of the fruiting surface, due
to smooth, projecting, thick-walled cells. I have found several species
but have only been sure of three.
_Hymenochaete rubiginosa. (Schr.) Lev._
Rubiginosa means full of rust, so called from the color of the plant.
The pileus is rigid, coriaceous, resupinate, effused, reflexed, the
lower margin generally adhering firmly, somewhat fasciated; velvety,
rubiginous or rusty in color, then becoming smooth and bright brown, the
intermediate stratum tawny-ferruginous. The hymenium ferruginous and
velvety. It is found here upon soft woods such as chestnut stumps and
willow.
_Hymenochaete Curtisii. Berk._
Curtisii is named in honor of Mr. Curtis.
The pileus is coriaceous, firm, resupinate, effused, reflexed, brown,
slightly sulcate; the hymenium velvety with brown bristles. This is
common on partially decayed oak branches in the woods.
_Hymenochaete corrugata. Berk._
Corrugata means bearing wrinkles or folds.
The pileus is coriaceous, effused, closely adnate, indeterminate,
cinnamon colored, cracked and corrugated when dry, which gives rise to
its name. The bristles are seen, under the microscope, to be joined.
Found in the woods on partially decayed branches.