CLASSIFICATION OP AGARICS 



19. Lentinus lepideus I r. I.i.ii.i.i 



Syst. Myc.j 1821. (As Omphalia lepidea.) Bpicrisis, i- 



niustrations : Bard, Mushrooms, Pig. L82, p. 228, L908. 

 Marshall, Mushroom Book, p. 56, L905. 

 Freeman, .Minn, riant Diseases, Pig. 116, p. 237. L905. 



Cooke, 111.. Plate 1140. 



<iillct. Champignons de Prance, No. 105. 



Plate VI of this Report. 



PILEUS 5-1') cm. or more broad, compact and firm, toughish, 

 regular or irregular, conn-.r or obtuse, at Length plane, buff t«> pale 

 ochraceous, variegated with subconcentric, brownish, adpressed 

 spot-like scales, even or sometimes areolate-cracked. PLE8H white, 

 pliant when fresh, hard when <lrv. GULLS decurrent, *inii<iti )>< 

 hind, broad, subdistant bebind, close in front, white, often fer- 

 ruginous-stained, transversely rivulose or striate, serrately-eroded, 

 covered when young by <i membranous white VEIL. STEM short, 

 •_' 5 cm. or longer, 1 -l' 1 L . cm. thick, stout, solid, hard, pointed at base, 

 scaly, irregular in cross-section, at first ringed at apex by the veil. 

 SPORES elongarted-oblong, lit 13 \ I -5J ._. micr., smooth, white. 

 < >!»< >E pleasant, rather faint. 



Solitary or somewhat caespitose. On old timbers of bridges, Bide 

 walks, railroad ties, fence posts, or on sun-exposed logs, stumps, etc., 

 in woods, preferably on wood of conifers, hemlock, pine, tamarack, 

 Imt also on oak, etc. 



Throughout the state. May-October. Common. Edible when 

 young. 



A species has been segregated from this one by Peck, who has de 

 scribed a new form with gills which are decurrent bu1 not sinuate 

 and which has spores T'.jli'x 1-5 micr., under the name Lenti 

 SpretilS. It has a more slender habit, thinner pileus, and smaller 



scales. This doubtless occurs also with as. Lentinus lepideus, in 

 the happy phrase of Mcllvaine, "is a son of commercial travel* 

 It is found everywhere on railway ties, whose decay it accelera 

 lis ability to grow in rather dry situations makes it a danj 



enemy of exposed timbers, especially of coniferous w I. 



mens found on old tamarack logs measured 20 cm. ■ the pil< 



ami had a well developed veil which formed a membranous • 

 the apex. 



