COLLYBIA. 47 



Genus VI. COI,I,YBIA. Fr. Syst. Myc. 



Stem fistulous, cartilao^inous, or stuffed with a pith, and 

 coated with a cartilaginous cuticle, rooting. Pileus fleshy, 

 smooth, margin at first involute. Gills adnate or nearly free. 



Epiphytal on wood and leaves ; not shriveling or drying, 

 but rotting. 



Fries divided this family into two series, according to the 

 color of the gills: i. Gills white ; 2. Gills cinnereous. The 

 white-gilled Collybia were again divided according to the 

 condition of stem : i. Stem striated or ribbed ; 2. Stem clothed 

 with a downy coat ; 3. Stem naked or smooth. 



C. velutipes. Curtis. Velvet-stem Collybia. 



Pileus, one to four inches broad, tawny yellow, fleshy at 

 the center, thick on the margin, viscid or sticky when moist. 



Gills, rounded behind, slightly adnexed, broad, tan or pale 

 yellow. 



Stem, cartilaginous (which they must be under this genus), 

 hollow, umber, with a nice velvet coat. 



This is a common intruder on old and young stumps, attacking both 

 decayed and green wood. It has a peculiar liking for the JBelanthus 

 glandulosus tree. You will frequently find clusters of it growing out of 

 a crack from a hardy tree. It is the hardiest of the tribe. It will grow 

 during the cold days of early winter. 



C. platyphyllus. Fr. Broad-gilled Collybia. 



Pileus, three to four inches broad, fuscous to gre3'ish, 

 streaked with darker fibrils, watery when moist, flesh white. 



Gills, obliquely truncate behind, slightly adnexed, 12 mm. 

 (]/2 in.) and more broad, distant, soft, white. 



Stem, short and thick, striated, root blunt, common in 

 chaparral woods. 



