28 MINNESOTA MUSHROOMS 



Solitary or in groups, on the ground or decaying wood in forest and woodland, 

 May to October ; edible, but not as desirable as the two preceding. 



Collybia veliitipes Velvet Stem 



Cap small to medium, 2-8 cm. wide, yellow-brown or reddish brown, rarely 

 paler except toward the margin, smooth, very sticky when moist, convex to plane or 

 somewhat recurved, often excentric or irregular through mutual pressure ; stem 

 rather short, 3-8 cm. by 2-8 mm., yellow above, brown or nearly black below, 

 densely velvety, tough, stuffed or hollow ; gills adnexed or slightly sinuate, yellowish 

 to yellow; spores ellipsoid, 6-1 'XS-i/x. The name refers to the velvety stem, 

 especially the lower part. 



In dense clusters on stmnps and logs, more rarely on the ground when it 

 contains much woody matter, or in decayed spots in living trees. It is most abundant 

 in the fall, but it may appear during any month of the year. It is one of the very 

 best of edible species. 



Collybia confluens Twin Stem 



Cap small, 2-3 cm. wide, reddish-brown or reddish, smooth, watery when moist, 

 convex or flat to somewhat depressed or upturned; stem slender, 8-14 cm. by 2-4 

 mm., paler than the cap but of the same color, covered with a dense white down, 

 tough, hollow ; gills free, whitish or grayish, narrow, crowded ; spores sub- 

 globose to ovate, 6-9 X 4-7)U,. The name refers to the fact that the stems often 

 grow together. 



Growing in dense tufts on the ground in woodland, more rarely in grassland; 

 excellent, readily preserved by drying for winter use. 



Collybia dryophila Oak Collybia 



Plate I : 5 



Cap small to medium, 2-7 cm. wide, usually tan to brown, but varying from 

 whitish through yellow to red-brown or dark brown, smooth, convex to plane or j 

 somewhat depressed; stem 3-8 cm. by 3-8 mm., usually yellowish or reddish-brown, 

 tough, smooth, hollow, sometimes rooting at the base ; gills sinuate or adnexed, 

 whitish or rarely yellowish, narrow, crowded; spores ellipsoid or ovoid, 5-7 X 4- 

 S/Ji. The name refers to the habit of growing in woods. 



Common in woods. May to frost; edible and of good quality. 



:^IYCENA 



This genus differs from Collybia in having the margin of the cap straight 

 in the young plant instead of incurved. It is separated from O m p h a 1 i a by the 

 insertion of the gills, which are adnate or adnexed but never decurrent and by 

 the conic or bell-shaped cap. These are typically small graceful plants, often of 

 most beautiful coloring. It is probable that all the species are edible, but they are 

 usuallv neglected on account of the small size. The name means mushroom. 



