142 Clavarias of the United States and Canada 



soft, but not very brittle, not crisp and not snapping, but tearing ; 

 nearly odorless and tasteless, mostly white, old bruised places are 

 ochraceous at any point of plant. Stem not very spongy, and tips 

 not wine color. 



Spores (of No. 3039) light fleshy tan, elliptic, nearly smooth, 

 small, 3-3.3 x 6.6-7 A\x. Basidia 4-.8-6.6f/. thick, 4-spored; hy- 

 menium 50-60[Jt. thick ; hyphae about 4.4|/. thick. 



This was the first Clavaria to appear in the spring of 1918. 



It seems nearest C. rufescens. It is not in the botrytis group, 

 nor is it like C. obtiisissima, C. cacao, etc. The pale, uniform 

 color, lax and open growth, soft but not brittle or crisp flesh, 

 lack of taste and odor and the distinctly small, nearly smooth 

 spores separate this species from all others. 



North Carolina: Chapel Hill. No. 3039. Upland woods, with mostly 

 deciduous trees, May 18, 1918. (Type). No. 3053. Strowd's low- 

 ground deciduous woods, May 22, 1918. When young very pale whitish 

 tan, the distinct rounded stem pure white, except for distinct or faint 

 tints of rose that may appear on stem or larger branches, mostly where 

 the two meet. This is not due to rubbing and may fade out in large 

 measure after a few hours. Bruised or gnawed places do not turn red- 

 dish or rosy. This seems near pale forms of C. rufescens, and is like 

 it in the soft flesh that causes the plant to dry very open and with sur- 

 face much gnawed by snails, also in distinct stem, etc. No odor or 

 taste when fresh, no odor of ham in drying, only a faintly aromatic odor 

 of ferment. Spores 3.7-4x7.4-8/*. No. 3067. Strowd's lowground 

 deciduous woods, May 22, 1918. Spores as in No. 3039, elliptic, min- 

 utely rough, 3.7 x 7-7:7 ft. No. 3068. Strowd's lowground deciduous 

 woods, May 22, 1918. Stem very distinct and rounded, and with pretty, 

 light rosy tints here and there, these not from bruises. Color of plant 

 pale tan or buff except the white stem ; some of the apices soon turning 

 brick color as in C. rufescens, but no wine color in tips. Flesh very soft 

 and delicate, but not snapping or crisp, tasteless and odorless. Spores 

 maize yellow, minutely rough, 3.3-3.7 x 7. 5-9.5 ft, most about 3.5 x 8-8. 5ft, 

 a very few up to 10.5/1. 



Clavaria aurea SchaefT. Fung. Bavar., p. 121, pi. 287. 1770. 



Plate 86 



There is no species that has been more confused than this. 

 One can find almost all the large Clavarias so determined in 

 American and European herbaria. As there is no type in exist- 

 ence, it seemed to us for a time that it would be best to drop this 

 name altogether. It now appears, however, that there is a plant 



