Pink-spored Series 



Flesh — Tinged with violet 



Time — Autumn. 



Habitat — Tinick, damp woods. 



C. violaceus differs from c. alboviolaceus in having the cap 

 dark violet and usually covered with fibres. 



GENUS PLUTEUS 



The members of the genus Pliiteus are fleshy fungi with 

 pink spores, and gills free from the stem. They have no volva or 

 wrapper about the young plant, and no ring or annulus on the 

 stem. Eleven species are known from the United States, of 

 which Pluteus cervinus, the fawn-coloured mushroom, is the 

 commonest. 



The generic name Pluteus means all that is joined together 

 to make a cover for besiegers at their work, that they may be 

 screened from the missiles of the enemy. The arrangement of 

 the caps in the group pictured is suggestive of the meaning. 



Fawn-coloured Pluteus (Edible) 



Pluteus cervinus 



Cap or P ileus — Light 

 brown or fawn 

 coloured, 

 streaked with 

 lines of darker 

 brown. Sur- 

 face dry and 

 shining. Skin 

 thin and papery. 

 3 /^ inches 

 broad. 



Gills or Larnellcc — 

 Almost white 

 when young, 

 fl e s h colour 

 when mature. 

 Broad, unequal 

 in length, free 

 from the stem. 



Stem or St ip e — 

 Creamy white, 



Plu'-te-«s 



P. cervinus 

 (^er-vT'-nfis 



87 



