GILL FUNGI 17 



AUMILLAUIA 



'I'hc Hcsh of tlu' cap and stem is unifdrni and cuntinuous. The stem has a 

 tixed r\u'j;. which is now and then inconspicuous, especially in i\[S,v. The ^ills are 

 nsuall\- attached and white or whitish. A r in i 1 1 a r i a dilTers from I.epiota 

 and Amanita in the coiuinuity ol stem and cap. and from .\m a n i t a in the 

 absence of the N'oha. All the species are edible. The name refers to the bracelet- 

 like ring. 



Armillaria mellea Honey Cap 



ri.ATK 1 : 1 



C a |) large. 3-\? cm. wide, usualh' honey-colored, but \ar\ing through all shades 

 of )ellow to brown, t\i>icall\' marked with small tufts of brownish or blackish hairs, 

 especialh' toward the center, though sometimes \vooll\- or entirely smooth, margin 

 often striate, con\-ex to expanded; stem tall, stout, 3- 1 .s cm. by 6-20 mm., whitish, 

 \'t'llo\\ish, or brownish, especialh' below the ring, smooth or scaly, hollow or stutted, 

 ring usnalh' thii'kish and conspicuous, but sometimes thin or even lacking; gills 

 toucliing broadlv or running down the stem, whitish or \-ellowish ; spores elliptic 

 or rounded. l-\{)[i. 'I'he name reft'rs to the honeydike color. 



()ne of the commonest and most \-arial)le of the mushrooms; it occurs most 

 frequent 1\- at the bast' of stumps, hut grows also on the ground aiul on decaying 

 stumps and logs. It is edible, but the flavor and texture are only fair. This species 

 is often parasitic on the roots of trees, especially spruces, pines, etc., breaking down 

 the roots and sometimes resulting in the death of the tree. 



'rUICIKfLO.MA 



'I'his genus is distinguished from Armillaria by the absence of a ring, 

 and from (' 1 i t o c \' b e bv sinuate or adnate gills instead of decurrent ones. It is 

 most easily confused with ("ollvbia, from whitdi it ditTers in the usually more 

 or less stout fleshv stem, of the same substance as the cap. I'he species of this genus 

 are edible with a few exceptions, notablv those with unpleasant smell. The name 

 means "hair- fringe." hut has slight ai»[)lication. 



Key to the Species 



1. ( )dor strong and un|)leasant 



a. Cap brownish ; flesh reddish w hen bruisetl T. saponacciiiu 



b. ("ap sulphur-\ello\\ ; tlesh \ellowish. unchanging T. sulphurcum 



2. ( )dor more or less ])leasant 



a. C'a]) stickv when moist; light yellow, with dark threads T. scjuncfiiin 



b. Cap not stickv, scalv or smooth 

 ( 1 ) Cap scalv or silky-hairy 



(a) Cap white. 10-14 cm. wide T. graiiiic 



(b) Ca]) brown to mouse-colored. 2-<S cm. wide T. tcrrcum 



