GILL FUNGI 63 



deeply sinuate, then almost free, yellow or dingy tan, crowded ; spores rust-colored, 

 elliptic, 6-8 X 4/x. The name refers to tlie relationship to the preceding. 



In dense clusters on stumps or trunks, late summer to frost; said by Mcllvaine to 

 be unexcelled in cnxjuettes and patties. The caps alone are used. 



INOCYBE 



This genus is distinguished by a fibrous veil more or less continuous with the 

 top of the cap, so that the lattrr has no distinct skin or pellicle, but is fibrous or 

 scaly, in the closely related il e h c 1 o m a. the pellicle is distinct and often sticky. 

 The two genera correspond to T r i c h (j 1 o m a among the white-spored agarics. 

 Some of the sijecies are separated with difficulty from Cortinarius, but typically 

 the curtain is absent. All the species are commonly regarded as not edible, though 

 none are known to be seriously poisonous. The name refers to the silky or scaly cap. 



Inocybe geophylla Silky Cone 

 Plate 11:3 



Cap small, 1-3 cm. wide and high, whitish or tan to brownish or pale lilac, the 

 surface closely fibrillose silky and shining, often splitting in lines, especially near 

 the margin, typically conical, but often with the margin expanded or upturned, 

 umbonate ; stem 5-6 cm. by 2-5 mm., white or whitish, powdered above, with more 

 or less of a curtain, stulTed ; gills adnexed, gray-brown, crowded ; spores sooty 

 brown, ovoid, 8 X 5^t. The name is perhaps in fanciful reference, i. e., "earth leaf," 

 to the beauty of the plant. 



Common on the ground in forests, especially of conifers, summer and autumn ; 

 it is not known to be of value. 



IIEP.ELOM.V 



Distinguished from I n o c y b e by the smooth, often sticky pellicle of the cap. 

 It represents Tricholoma among the ocher-spored forms. The species are com- 

 monly regarded as poisonous, but Mcllvaine has found several of them edible. The 

 name is not of obvious application. 



Key to the Species 



1. Veil not visible //• crustuUniforme 



2. Veil present as a curtain or ring, at least when young 



a. Cap very sticky, slimy when wet; odor mild //. o-utinosion 



b. Cap somewhat sticky when wet ; odor unpleasant H. fastibilc 



Hebeloma crustuliniforme Pie Cap 

 Plate II: 2 



Cap small to medium, 3-8 cm. wide, whitish to tan. darker on the disk, smooth, 

 slightly sticky when young, convex to plane, with an umbo; stem 6-8 cm. by 



