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The SWEET-SMEI.I.ING Clitocybe (Edible;) 

 Clitocyhc odora Bull. 



Clitocyhc odora is very easy to identify because of the olive-green 

 color and the pleasant spicy odor. It grows in grassy places in the 

 woods or on dead leaves or twigs from August to October. The 

 plants are either scattered or clustered. 



The cap is 2 to 7 cm. (i to 3 inches) broad, fleshy but tough, at 

 first convex but soon becoming plane or nearly so. The flesh is quite 

 thick and whitish, while the surface is olive-green, the color fading 

 more or less with age. The surface is smooth and even, though the 

 margin is often slightly downy. The cap is usually quite regular, 

 though the margin is sometimes wavy. 



The gills are broad, rather close together, and attached to the stem, 

 either adnate or slightly decurrent. The color is white or greenish. 

 The spores are white. 



The stem is 2 to 5 cm. ( i to 2 inches) long, cylindrical or some- 

 what thickened at the base, solid, stuffed, or hollow. It is at first 

 somewhat downy, but soon becomes smooth, though the base is usually 

 covered with white filaments. The color of the stem varies from white 

 to green. There is no ring and no volva. 



The anise-like odor of this mushroom is very persistent, and the 

 taste is very spicy. While the flavor is pleasant it is rather strong, but 

 if a few specimens are cooked along with other plants that are not 

 so strong in flavor, they are excellent. 



When the plants are dried the green color fades, but the odor is 

 said to persist for several years. 



Collected in Champaign county. 



