490 



The Hard Phoeiota (Edible) 

 Plwliota dura Bolt. 



Pholiota dura occurs from May to October in pastures, lawns, 

 parks, and other grassy places, and sometimes is quite common. The 

 best time to look for it is during or after a few days cf rainy weather. 



The cap is 3 to 10 cm. ( i to 4 inches) broad. It is fleshy but firm, 

 at first convex, then expanded and nearly flat or sometimes with an 

 elevation at the center. The surface is at first even and smooth or 

 nearly so, and often moist but not sticky. Later the surface becomes 

 cracked into irregular patches. The color is whitish, though not a 

 clear white, being tinged with yellow or tan. In mature specimens the 

 margin is often turned upward. 



The gills are attached to the stem either sc[uarely or with a short 

 tooth extending down the stem. They are quite broad and close to- 

 gether, and unequal in length, that is, short ones are interspersed 

 among the longer ones. They are at first creamy white, then rusty 

 brown, but with the edge often remaining white. The edge of the 

 gills is often serrate or toothed. The spores are rusty brown in mass. 



The stem is 5 to 10 cm. (2 to 4 inches) broad, rather slender, 

 usually hollow, whitish or flesh-color, and smooth or nearly so. The 

 stem is usually nearly straight, but sometimes in very wet weather the 

 cap becomes too heavy for the stem and bends it over. Later, as it 

 dries out, the response to gravitv causes the stem to grow in such a 

 way as to bring the cap into a horizontal position. If this is repeated 

 several times, because of subsequent showers, the stem may have very 

 peculiar crooks and curves. 



In young specimens the inner veil is stretched from the stem to the 

 margin of the cap. When it breaks it either tears away from the cap 

 and forms a very definite ring on the stem, or it tears away from the 

 stem and remains clinging to the margin of the cap, thus forming no 

 ring at all. There is no \'olva. 



Pholiota praccox, in which the surface of the cap remains smooth, 

 is very closelv related to this species. Both are good to eat. 



Collected in Champaign county. 



