GILL FUNGI 47 



by y2-\ mill., more or less wliitc powdrrc'd, then black; gills adnate, whitish, some- 

 w lial hraiirhcd; spores star-shaped. The name refers to the black stems. 

 ()n lea\-es and twigs in woods, July to October. 



Marasmius siccus Pinwheel 



Cap small, 1-3 cm., rose or yellow-red, papery, smooth, deeply furrowed frcjni 

 the darker center, conic or hell-shaped for the most part, sometimes convex; stem 

 tall, thread-like, 5-8 cm. by 1-2 mm., blackish-brown or black, smooth, shining, hol- 

 low; gills free or nearly so, whitish, broad and distant. The name refers to the 

 dry papery cap. 



In groups on leaves in woods, June to frost. 



LENTINUS 



Suggesting both Pleurotus and Marasmius, but distinguished by being 

 tough, and almost woody in age. It also resembles PI e u r o t u s in being more or 

 less excentric. It differs from both, as well as the nearly related P a n u s, by the 

 toothed or notched edge of the gills, which is the distinguishing feature of the genus. 

 The species grow on wood. "\Mien young, they are edible and more or less desirable. 

 The name refers to the touiih texture. 



*t>' 



Key to the Species 



1. Stem present 



a. Cap hairy, reddish to tan L. lecomtci 



b. Cap scaly ; white to tan 



( 1 ) Cap whitish ; gills dccurrent L. tigrinus 



(2) Cap yellowish; gills sinuate-decurrent L. Icpidcus 



2. Stem lateral or absent L. vulpinus 



Lentinus lecomtei Hairy Lentinus 



Cap medium to large, 5-12 cm. wide, tan to reddish, hairy, depressed to 

 funnel-form or irregular, with incurved margin ; stem short, 2-4 cm., often excentric 

 or lateral, tawny, hairy or smooth in age; gills decurrent, pale, narrow and crowd- 

 ed; spores ellipsoid, 5-6 X 2-3;u,. ■ 



Common on wood, throughout the growing season; tough but edible and well- 

 flavored. 



Lentinus tigrinus Tiger Cap 



Cap medium, 4-7 cm. wide, white or whitish, spotted more or less thickly with 

 flat hairy blackish scales, plane to depressed and funnel-form; stem 4-5 cm., 

 whitish, scaly, solid ; gills decurrent, white or whitish, narrow- and crowded ; 

 spores elliptic, 6-7 X 3-4/x. The name refers to the blackish scales of the cap. 



More or less common on old wood ; edible but hardlv desirable. 



