The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 26

_Omphalia campanella. Batsch._

THE BELL OMPHALIA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Plate XVII. Figure 97.--Omphalia campanella.]

Campanella means a little bell.

The pileus is membranaceous, convex to extended, centrally depressed, striate, watery, rusty-yellow in color.

The gills are moderately close, decurrent, bow-shaped, connected by veins, rigid, firm, yellowish. The spores elliptical, 6-73-4.

The stem is hollow, clothed with down, and paler above.

This plant is very common and plentiful in our woods and is widely distributed in the states. It grows on wood or on ground very heavily charged with decaying wood. It is found through the summer and fall. It is delicious if you have the patience to gather them.

_Omphalia epichysia. Pers._

The pileus is thin, convex to expanded, depressed in the center, sooty-gray with a watery appearance, pallid to nearly white when dry.

The gills are slightly decurrent, whitish then gray, somewhat crowded.

The stem is slender, hollow, gray. The spores are elliptical, 8-104-5.

It grows in decayed wood. Its smoky color, funnel-shaped pileus, and gray short stem will distinguish it. I have some plants sent me from Ma.s.sachusetts which seem to be much smaller than our plants.

_Omphalia umbellifera. Linn._

THE UMBEL OMPHALIA. EDIBLE.

Umbellifera--_umbella_, a small shade; _ferro_, to bear. Pileus one-half inch broad, membranaceous, whitish, convex, then plane, broadly obconic, slightly umbilicate even in the smallest plants, hygrophanous in wet weather, rayed with darker striae.

The gills are decurrent, very distant, quite broad behind, triangular, with straight edges.

The stem is short, not more than one inch long, dilated at the apex, of same color as the pileus, at first stuffed, then hollow, firm, white, villous at the base.

It is a common plant in our woods, growing on decayed wood or ground largely made up of rotten wood. Decayed beech bark is a favorite habitat. Found from July till October.

_Omphalia caespitosa. Bol._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 98.--Omphalia caespitosa. Natural size.]

Caespitosa means growing in tufts; _caespes_, turf. The pileus is submembranaceous, very small, convex, nearly hemispherical, umbilicate, thin, sulcate, light-ochre, margin crenate, smooth.

The gills are distant, rather broad, shortly decurrent, whitish.

The stem is curved, hollow, colored like the pileus, slightly bulbous at the base. The spores are 65.

This species is very much like Omphalia oniscus and they can only be distinguished by their habitats and color. It is found in August and September. It delights in well rotted wood. I have seen millions in one place.

_Omphalia oniscus. Fr._

BOLTON'S OMPHALIA. EDIBLE.

Oniscus, a name given to a species of codfish by the Greeks, so named because of their gray color. The pileus is flaccid, irregular, about one inch broad, convex, plane, or depressed, slightly fleshy, wavy, sometimes lobed, margin striate, dark cinereous, paler when dry.

The gills are adnate, decurrent, livid or whitish, arranged in groups of four, somewhat distant.

The stem is about one inch long, rather firm, straight or curved, sometimes unequal, nearly hollow. The spores are 127-8.

This is found in damp places from August to November.

_Omphalia pyxidata. Bull._

THE BOX OMPHALIA.

Pyxidata means made like a box, from _pyxis_, a box.

The pileus is somewhat membranaceous, clearly umbilicate, then funnel-shaped, smooth when moist, margin often striate, brick-red.

The gills are decurrent, rather distant, triangular, narrow, reddish gray, often yellowish.

The stem is stuffed, then hollow, even, tough, pale-tawny. The spores are 7-85-6.

The plants are usually hygrophanous, but when dry, floccose or slightly silky. This is a small plant growing usually on lawns, nearly hidden in the gra.s.s. I found some very fine specimens on Dr. Sulzbacher's lawn on Second Street, Chillicothe. The plant is, however, widely distributed. I found many specimens on the 3d of November.

_Omphalia fibula. Bull._

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 99.--Omphalia fibula.]

Fibula means a buckle or pin, from the pin-like stem.

The pileus is membranaceous, at first top-shaped, expanded, slightly umbilicate, striate, margin inclined to be inflexed, yellow or tawny, with a dusky center, minutely pilose.

The gills are deeply decurrent, paler, distinct.

The stem is slender, nearly orange color with a violet-brown apex, the whole minutely pilose. The spores are elliptical, 4-52.

They are found on mossy banks where it is more or less damp. I have only found it in October.