14-0 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Fries says that this species is not edible on account of its spongy tex- 

 ture, but I find it pleasant-flavored and digestible and see no reason why it 

 may not be utilized if taken when dry. After heavy rains it is apt to 

 be water-soaked. It differs from the intermediate clitocybe, Clitocybe 

 media, in its thicker obconic cap, its more decurrent gills and in its longer 

 upwardly tapering stem. 



Clitocybe monadelpha Morg. 

 Clustered Clitocybe 



PLATE 46, fig. 7-12 



Pileus fleshy, convex becoming nearly plane or somewhat depressed, at 

 first glabrous or nearly so, then squamulose or virgate, variable in color, 

 honey color, pale reddish brown or reddish, the margin even, flesh white or 

 whitish ; lamellae moderately close, distinctly decurrent, whitish or pale flesh 

 color; stem long, solid, crooked, fibrous, tapering at the base, shining, pallid 

 or brown ; spores subelliptic, .0003 of an inch long, .0002 broad. 



The clustered clitocybe is a rare species in our state and has been found 

 by me in one locality only. It is apparently more plentiful farther west. 

 It resembles the honey colored armillaria in size and general appearance, but 

 it may be distinguished by the entire absence of a veil and a collar, by its 

 decidedly decurrent gills and by its solid stem. The cap in the typical 

 western form is at first smooth but it finally becomes scaly. In the eastern 

 form it is smooth or nearly so when young, but it is soon adorned with 

 minute tufted fibrils or fibrillose scales in the center and with darker lines or 

 closely pressed fibrils toward the even margin. The color in our specimens 

 is a pale reddish brown, a little darker than isabelline and approaching 

 russet. The western form varies from honey color to reddish brown. The 

 gills are whitish or pallid and they run down on the stem, gradually tapering 

 to a point. The stems are densely clustered and united at the base, form- 

 ing tufts of many individuals. They are more or less irregular, twisted, 

 crooked and tapering toward the base. They have a fibrous texture exter- 

 nally and are smooth and somewhat shining. In our specimens they are 

 brown and darker than the cap. 



The cap is 1 to 2.5 inches broad ; the stem is 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 

 4 lines thick. 



