REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST " 7 1 



In flavor this species is not much inferior to the para'^ol mushroom, 

 but when cooked in milk or cream it imparts its own reddish color to the 

 material in which it is cooked. It is, however, a fine addition to our li^t 

 of esculent species. 



Tricholoma terreum Schaff var. fragrans. Peck. 

 Fragrant Tricholoma. 



(Plate 47. Figs, i-io.) 



Pileus convex or nearly plane, dry, innately-fibrillose or minutely floc- 

 cose-squamulose, grayish-brown or blackish-brown; lamellae rather broad, 

 adnexed, whitish or cinereous; stem equal, solid or stufifed, rarely hollow, 

 whitish; spores broadly elliptical, .00024 to .00028 inch long, .00016 to 

 .0G02 broad. 



The Fragrant tricholoma has a distinct farinaceous odor and flavor. In 

 other respects it closely resembles the Earth-colored tricholoma of which it 

 is considered a mere variety. The typical European plant is said to be 

 without odor or nearly so and has not been classed among the edible 

 species by European writers. But our variety, though not high flavored, 

 is fairly good and entirely harmless. Its cap varies considerably in color 

 but is some shade of gray or brown. Its center is without any prominence 

 or very bluntly prominent and its surface is commonly very obscurely 

 marked with innate fibrils or in small plants may have very small floccu- 

 lent tufts or scales. The flesh is whitish as also are the gills, though 

 these sometimes assume a more decided grayish hue. They are rather 

 broad and loose and sometimes uneven on the edge or even split trans- 

 versely. They are usually deeply excavated next the stem and attached to 

 it by a narrow part. The stem is whitish or slightly shaded with the 

 color of the cap. It often has a few longitudinal fibrils, but never any 

 collar. It may be either soUd stuffed or spongy within or, in large speci- 

 mens, hollow. 



The plants grow gregariously or sometimes in tufts on the ground under 

 or near trees or in thin woods, especially of pine, or in mixed woods. The 

 caps vary from i to 4 inches broad, and the stems from i to 3 inches long 

 and from 2 to 6 lines thick. The plants occur in autumn. In Europe 

 there is a variety of this species which also has a farinaceous odor, but it 

 differs from our plant in having reddish edges to the gills. It is called 

 variety orinibens. 



One correspondent, in writing concerning the method of preparing this 

 mushroom for the table, says that when steamed for thirty minutes, with 

 the addition of butter, pepper and salt, it makes a very good dish. 



