The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 66

_Stropharia stercoraria. Fr._

THE DUNG STROPHARIA. EDIBLE.

Stercoraria is from stercus, dung. The pileus is slightly fleshy at the center but thin at the margin; hemispherical, then expanded, even, smooth, discoid, slightly striate on the margin.

The gills are firmly attached to the stem, slightly crowded, broad, white, umber, then olive-black.

The stem is three inches or more long, stuffed with a fibrous pith, equal, ring close to cap, flocculose below the ring, viscid when moist, yellowish.

This species is distinguished from the S. semiglobata by the distinct pithy substance with which the stem is stuffed, also by the fact that the cap is never fully expanded. It is found on dung and manure piles, in richly manured fields, and sometimes in woods.

_Stropharia aeruginosa. Curt._

THE GREEN STROPHARIA.

aeruginosa is from aerugo, verdigris. The pileus is fleshy, plano-convex, sub.u.mbonate, clothed with a green evanescent slime, becoming paler as the slime disappears.

The gills are firmly attached to the stem, soft, brown, tinged with purple, slightly ventricose, not crowded.

The stem is hollow, equal, fibrillose or squamose below the ring, tinged with blue.

This species is quite variable in form and color. The most typical forms are found in the fall, in very wet weather and in shady woods. This is one of the species from which the ban has not been removed but its appearance will lead no one to care to cultivate its acquaintance further than name it. It is claimed by most writers that it is poisonous. Found in meadows and woods, from July to November.

_Hypholoma. Fr._

Hypholoma is from two Greek words, meaning a web and a fringe, referring to the web-like veil which frequently adheres to the margin of the cap, not forming a ring on the stem and not always apparent on old specimens.

The pileus is fleshy, margin at first incurved. The gills are attached to the stem, sometimes notched at the stem. The stem is fleshy, similar in substance to the cap.

They grow mostly in thick cl.u.s.ters on wood either above or under the ground. The spores are brown-purple, almost black.

This genus differs from the genus Agaricus from the fact that its gills are attached to the stem and its stem is dest.i.tute of a ring.

_Hypholoma incertum. Pk._

THE UNCERTAIN HYPHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _By the courtesy of Captain McIlvaine._

Plate x.x.xVII. Figure 262.--Hypholoma incertum.]

Incertum, uncertain. Prof. Peck, who named this species, was uncertain whether it was not a form of H. candolleanum, to which it seemed to be very closely related; but as the gills of that plant are at first violaceous and of this one white at first, he concluded to risk the uncertainty on a new species.

The pileus is thin, ovate, broadly spreading, fragile, whitish, margin often wavy and often adorned with fragments of the woolly white veil, opaque when dry, transparent when moist.

The gills are thin, narrow, close, fastened to the stem at their inner extremity, white at first, then purplish-brown, edges often uneven.

The stem is equal, straight, hollow, white, slender, at least one to three inches long. The spores are purplish-brown and elliptical. It is found in lawns, gardens, pastures, and thin woods. It is small but grows in such profusion that one can obtain quant.i.ties of it. The caps are very tender and delicious. It appears as early as May.

_Hypholoma appendiculatum. Bull._

THE APPENDICULATE HYPHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

Appendiculatum, a small appendage. This is so called from the fragments of the veil adhering to the margin of the cap.

The pileus is thin, ovate, expanded, watery, when dry, covered with dry atoms; margin thin and often split, with a white veil; the color when moist dark-brown, when dry nearly white, often with floccose scales on the cap.

The gills are firmly attached to the stem, crowded, white, then rosy-brown, and at length dingy-brown.

The stem is hollow, smooth, equal, white, fibrous, mealy at the apex.

The veil is very delicate and only seen in quite young plants.

The plant grows in the spring and the summer and is found on stumps and sometimes on lawns. It is a favorite mushroom with those who know it.

The plant can be dried for winter use and retains its flavor to a remarkable degree.

Hypholoma candolleanum, Fr., resembles the H. appendiculatum in many features, but the gills are violaceous, becoming cinnamon-brown and in old plants nearly free from the stem. It has more substance. The caps, however, are very tender and delicious. Found in cl.u.s.ters.

_Hypholoma lachrymabundum. Fr._

THE WEEPING HYPHOLOMA.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 263.--Hypholoma lachrymabundum. Two-thirds natural size.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 264.--Hypholoma lachrymabundum.]

Lachrymabundum--full of tears. This plant is so called because in the morning or in damp weather the edge of the gills retain very minute drops of water. The plant in Figure 263 was photographed in the afternoon yet there can be seen a number of these minute drops.

The pileus is fleshy, campanulate, then convex, sometimes broadly umbonate, spotted with hairy scales; flesh white.

The gills are closely attached to the stem, notched, crowded, somewhat ventricose, unequal, whitish, then brown-purple, distilling minute drops of dew in wet weather or in the morning.

The stem is hollow, somewhat thickened at the base, quite scaly with fibrils, often becoming brownish-red, two to three inches long. The spores are brownish-purple.

I have never found the plant elsewhere than on the Chillicothe high school lawn, and then not in sufficient numbers to test its edible qualities. When I do, I shall try it cautiously, but with full faith that I shall be permitted to try others. Found on the ground and on decayed wood. It often grows in cl.u.s.ters. September to October.

_Hypholoma sublateritium. Schaeff._

THE BRICK-RED HYPHOLOMA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 265.--Hypholoma sublateritium. Natural size.]