XIII. THE CLITOCYBES AXD COLLYBIA. 



The genus Clitocyhe has the gills attached to the stem, as in 

 TricJioloma, but they are not rounded or notched on the edge 

 next the stem. They are united to the stem by their whole 

 width, and usually they are prolonged downward on the stem, or 

 in other words are decurrent. This is the principal character by 

 which they are separated from the genus Triclioloma. 



More than twenty species of this genus have been classed as 

 edible, but it has been permitted us to test but a few of them. 

 Those here noticed may be tabulated as follows : 



Cap thick-fleshed or broadly obconic, 1. 



Cap not thick-tleshed or not obconic, 2. 



1. Cap grayish, gills close together, C. nehularis. 



1. Cap brown or blackish-brown, gills not close, C. media. 



2. Cap rather thin, funnel-shaped when ma- 

 ture, C. infundibuliformis. 

 2. Cap thin, convex or plane, C. laccata. 



The Clouded clitocybe, Clitocyhe nehular-is, takes its name 

 from the clouded-gray appearance of its thick cap, which is at 

 "first convex, but when mature, either flat or a little depressed. 

 Its flesh is white, thickest in the middle, and in a vertical section 

 is seen to taper rapidly downward into the stem. The gills are 

 close together and rather narrow for the size of the plant. They 

 are white or yellowish-white. The stout solid stem usually ta- 

 pers upward from the base and is whitish. 



The cap is two to four inches or more broad, the stem one to 

 two inches long and about half an inch thick. The Clouded 

 mushroom grows in woods, and sometimes forms large tufts or 

 clusters among fallen leaves. It is found in autumn, but is not 

 very common in this country. Authors differ in their estimate 

 of the edible qualities of this mushroom, but the more recent 

 ones generally agree in classing it as edible. 



Still more rare is the intermediate clitocybe, Clitocyhe Media. 

 This species grows among moss in dense woods in cool mountain- 

 ous places. Its cap is grayish-brown or blackish-brown, being 

 generally darker-colored than that of the Clouded mushroom. 

 Its flesh is white and mild in taste. The gills are whitish, wide 

 apart, and have little transverse ridges or veins in the sj)aces be- 



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