WMITE-SPORED AGARICS. 



87 



TRICHOLOMA Fr. 



In the gt-nus Tricbolonu the volva and annulus are both wanting, 

 the spores are white, and the gills are attached to the stem, but are 

 more or less strongly notched or sinuate at the stem. Sometimes 

 the notch is very slight. The stem is tleshy-tibrous, attached to the 

 center of the pileus, and is usually short and stout. In some speci- 

 mens when young there is a slight cobwebby veil which very soon 

 disappears. The genus is a very large one. Some species are said 

 to be poisonous and a tew are known to be edible. Peck, 44th Re- 

 port, N. V. State Mus., pp. 38-64, describes 46 species. 



Trichoioma persona- 

 turn Fr. Edible. — This 

 plant occurs during the 

 autumn and persists up 

 to the winter months. 

 It grows on the grouiui 

 in open places and in 

 woods. The stem is 

 short, usually 3-7 cm. 

 long x 1-2 cm. in thick- 

 ness, and the cap is 

 from 5-10 cm. or more 

 broad. Theentire plant 

 often has a lilac or pur- 

 ple tint. 



The pileus is con- 

 vex, expanded, moist, 

 smooth, grayish to 

 brownish tinged with 

 lilac or purple, especi- 

 ally when young, fading out in age. When young the pileus is 

 sometimes adorned with white mealy particles, and when old the 

 margin may be more or less upturned and wavy. The gills are 

 crowded, rounded next the stem, and nearly free but close to the 

 stem, violet or lilac when young, changing to dull reddish brown 

 when old. The spores when caught in mass are dull pink or salmon 

 color. They measure 7-9 ;< long. The stem is solid, fibrous, 

 smooth, deep lilac when young and retaining the lilac color longer 

 than the pileus. Sometimes the base is bulbous as in Fig. ^y. 



This plant is regarded by all writers as one of the best of the 

 edible fungi. Sometimes the pileus is water soaked and then the 



Fic.t RE 88. — Trichoioma personatum. Section (natural size). 



