Agaricaceae 



Mycena. (never sticky) glued together with soft hairy down at the base. But it 

 occurs also solitary, larger, pileus as much as 2 in. broad, wrinkled- 

 striate. The essential marks by which it is distinguished from A. rugosa 

 are these : Stem in general thinner, less tense and straight, often curved, 

 more fragile. PileilS membranaceous, conico bell-shaped, umbonate, 

 striate but not corrugated, moist in rainy weather. Gills adnate, with 

 a decurrent tooth, more crowded, whitish tJien flesh-colored. The color 

 both of the pileus (normally dingy-brownish then livid) and of the stem 

 (normally becoming livid-brownish) is much more changeable than that 

 of A. rugosa, becoming yellow, rust colored, etc. It is not so tough 

 and pliant as A. rugosa. Forms departing from the type are very nu- 

 merous; the most beautiful is var. calopus (Gr., beautiful; Gr. , afoot) 

 with chestnut-colored stems, united in a spindle-shaped tail. Fries. 



Spores spheroid or subspheroid, 9-iOx6-8/x K.; S-i 1x4-6^ B.; 

 6 /X4/A Massee 



Common. Autumnal. Very variable. On trunks, fallen leaves. 



Two well-marked varieties of this very variable species were observed 

 the past season. One grows on the ground among fallen leaves. It has 

 a dark brown pileus, close lamellae and a very long stem, generally of a 

 delicate pink color toward the top. It might be called var. longipes. 

 The other grows under pine trees, has a broadly convex or expanded 

 grayish-brown pileus and a short stem. It might be called var. cxpansns. 

 Peck, 26th Rep. N. Y. State Bot. 



"M. alcalina is closely allied to it (M. galericulata), but has a stronger 

 alkaline odor and a rather more fragile stem. In one of your specimens 

 I detect a slight incarnate tint to the gills, and this is pretty conclusive 

 evidence that it belongs to M. galericulata. Species of Mycena are not 

 generally reckoned among edible fungi or even promising fungi; I sup- 

 pose on account of the thin flesh of the cap, but of course it is possible 

 to make up in numbers what is lacking in size. I am glad to know you 

 have found this to be an esculent one." Letter Professor Peck to C. 

 Mcllvaine, October 5, 1893. 



The caps and stems when young make as good a dish as one cares to 

 eat. The substance is pleasant, and the flavor delicate. They are best 

 stewed slowly in their own fluids, after washing, for ten minutes and 

 seasoned with pepper, salt and butter. 



M. parabo'lica Fr. shaped like a parabola. Pileus becoming black 



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