The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 14

The stem is one and a half to two and a half inches long, equal, bare, solid whitish. The spores minute, subglobose, 4-54. _Peck_, 44 Rep.

The specimens I found grew in a mixed woods in the leaf-mold. They are found only occasionally in our woods in September and October.

_Tricholoma leucocephalum. Fr._

THE WHITE-CAPPED TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

Leucocephalum is from two Greek words meaning white and head, referring to the white caps.

The pileus is one and a half to two inches across, convex, then plane; even, moist, smooth when the silky veil is gone, water-soaked after a rain; flesh thin, tough, smell mealy, taste mild and pleasant.

The gills are rounded behind and almost free, crowded, white.

The stem is about two inches long, hollow, solid at the base, smooth, cartilaginous, tough, rooting. The spores are 9-107-8.

It differs from T. alb.u.m in having the odor of new meal strongly marked.

It is found in open woods during September and October.

_Tricholoma fumescens. Pk._

SMOKY TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 54.--Tricholoma fumescens.]

Fumescens means growing smoky.

Pileus convex or expanded, dry, clothed with a very minute appressed tomentum, whitish.

The gills are narrow, crowded, rounded behind, whitish or pale cream color, changing to smoky blue or blackish where bruised.

The stem is short, cylindrical, whitish. Spores are oblong-elliptical, 5-65. Pileus is one inch broad. Stem one to one and a half inches high. _Peck_, 44th Rep. N. Y. State Bot.

The caps are quite a bit larger in the specimens found in Ohio than those described by Dr. Peck. So much so that I was in doubt as to the correct identification. I sent some specimens to Dr. Peck for his determination. The species will be readily identified by the fine crowded gills and the smoky blue or blackish hue they a.s.sume when bruised. The caps are frequently wavy, as will be seen in Figure 54.

I found the plants in Poke Hollow near Chillicothe, September to November.

_Tricholoma terreum. Schaeff._

THE GRAY TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 55.--Tricholoma terreum. Cap grayish-brown or mouse color.]

Terreum is from _terra_, the earth; so called from the color. This is quite a variable species in color and size, as well as manner of growth.

The pileus is one to three inches broad, dry, fleshy, thin, convex, expanded, nearly plane, often having a central umbo; floccose-scaly, ashy-brown, grayish-brown or mouse-color.

The gills are adnexed, subdistant, white, becoming grayish, edges more or less eroded. Spores, 5-6.

The stem is whitish, fibrillose, equal, paler than the cap, varying from solid to stuffed or hollow, one to three inches high.

I find this plant on north hillsides, in beech woods. It is not plentiful. There are several varieties:

Var. orirubens. Q. Edge of gills reddish.

Var. atrosquamosum. Chev. Pileus gray with small black scales; g.

whitish.

Var. argyraceum. Bull. Entirely pure white, or pileus grayish.

Var. chrysites. Jungh. Pileus tinged yellowish or greenish.

The plants in Figure 55 were found in Poke Hollow near Chillicothe.

Their time is September to November.

_Tricholoma saponaceum. Fr._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 56.--Tricholoma saponaceum.]

Saponaceum is from _sapo_, soap, so called from its peculiar odor.

The pileus is two to three inches broad, convex, then plane, involute at first as will be seen in Figure 56, smooth, moist in wet weather but not viscid, often cracked into scales or punctate, grayish or livid-brown, often with a tinge of olive, flesh firm, becoming more or less red when cut or wounded.

The gills are uncinately emarginate, thin, quite entire, not crowded, white, sometimes tinged with green. Spores subglobose, 54.

The stem is solid, unequal, rooting, smooth, sometimes reticulated with black fibrils or scaly.

This species is found quite frequently about Chillicothe. It is quite variable in size and color, but can be readily recognized from its peculiar odor and the flesh's becoming reddish when wounded. It is not poisonous but its odor will prevent any one from eating it. Found in mixed woods from August to November.

_Tricholoma cartilagineum. Bull._

THE CARTILAGINOUS TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 57.--Tricholoma cartilagineum. Two-thirds natural size.]

Cartilagineum means gristly or cartilaginous.

The pileus is two to three inches broad, cartilaginous, elastic, fleshy, convex, soon expanded, wavy, as seen in Figure 57, margin incurved, smooth, inclined to be blackish at first, then broken up into small black spots.

The gills are slightly notched, adnexed, somewhat crowded, grayish.

The stem is one to two inches long, rather firm, stuffed, equal, smooth, white, often striate and mealy. Taste and odor pleasant.

A number of my friends ate it because of its inviting taste and odor. It grew in quant.i.ties among the clover in our city park during the wet weather of the last of May and the first of June.