Agaricacess 



III. COLLYBI/E. Gills adnate, stem somewhat cartilaginous. 



Armiiiaria. ^ mu'clda Schrad. mucidus , slimy. PileilS commonly shining 

 white, thin, almost transparent, hemispherical then expanded, obtuse, 

 more or less radiato-wrinkled, smeared over with a thick tenacious glu- 

 ten ; margin striate when thinner. Stem 1^2-3 in. long, 1-2 lines thick 

 at the apex, thickened at the base, stuffed, thin, rigid, curved ascend- 

 ing, smooth, white, but sooty scaly at the base when most perfectly de- 

 veloped. Ring inserted at the apex of the stem, bent downward and 

 glued close to the stem, furrowed, the white border again erect, with a 

 swollen and entire margin, which sometimes becomes dingy brown. 

 Gills rounded behind, obtuse, adhering to the stem and striato-decurrent, 

 distant, broad, lax, mucid, always shining white. 



Very variable in stature, from I in. (when of this size the stem is 

 almost equal) to as much as 6 in. broad. The color of the pileus varies 

 gray, fuliginous, olivaceous. The gills sometimes become yellow, but 

 only from disease. Sometimes solitary, sometimes a few are joined in 

 a cespitose manner at the base. Stevenson. 



Spores elliptical, 15-16x8-9/4 Masscc; 17x14^1 W. G. S. 



North Carolina, Sckweinitz, Curtis; Pennsylvania, Schweinits; Mary- 

 land, Miss Banning. 



West Virginia mountains, 1882, Haddonfield, N. J., 1891-94, on 

 beech trees and roots. Mcllvaine. 



Commonly considered esculent in Europe. 



Dirt adheres so tenaciously to it that it is difficult to clean. This, 

 however, occurs only when the fungus grows from roots and pushes its 

 way up through covering earth. When growing from trees it is attractive 

 and of good quality. 



Should be chopped fine and well cooked. 



