The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 89

_Grandinia. Fr._

Lignatile, effused, waxy, granulated, granules globular, entire, permanent.

_Grandinia granulosa. Fr._

Effused, rather thin, waxy, somewhat ochraceous, circ.u.mference determinate, granules globular, equal, crowded.

Found on decayed wood. Quite common in our woods.

CHAPTER IX.

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 hymenoph.o.r.e, inferior, continuous, smooth, even or wrinkled. Spores white. _Fries._

_Craterellus cantharellus._ (_Schw._) _Fr._

YELLOW CRATERELLUS. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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, 7.5-105-6. _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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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, 11-127-8.

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 cl.u.s.ters 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._

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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, 6-7.5 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._