30 JOUKNAL OF THE MiTCHELL SoCIETY \_October 



l^YCTALIS 



Plants growing on other mushrooms; small; cap mealy from the 

 conidiospores ; gills thick with blunt margins, or often fold-like or 

 even aborted; veil not noticeable. 



We have but one species. 



Nyctalis asterophora Fr. 



Plates 2, 3 and 16, 



This remarkable plant is found occasionally growing in clusters 

 on decaying plants of Russula nigricans. The caps are almost hemi- 

 spheric and remain so at all ages, the margin strongly inrolled. They 

 are up to about 3.8 cm, wide, white at first then grayish-buff and 

 finally nearly buff, the surface tomentose-looking and soon becoming 

 mealy from the loose coating of conidiospores that cover it. 



Stem about 3-6 cm. long, and up to 6 mm. thick at top, tapering 

 downward, white at first, then changing color more or less like the 

 cap; usually crooked and irregular. 



Gills very often aborted, when present they are thick, distant and 

 narrow, with a blunt margin. Spores from the gills have been re- 

 corded, but usually seem to be suppressed, the reproduction depend- 

 ing on the conidiospores from the cap surface. " These last are quite 

 irregular in shape and size, usually longer than broad, more or less 

 thickly covered with warty nodules, size about 14-19 x 18-26fi count- 

 ing the warts. These conidiospores have been shown by Brefeld to 

 be capable of reproducing the plant. 



Illustrations: Mycologia 6: PI. 129. 1914. 



Kauffman Agar, of Mich. 2: PI. 1. 1918. 



1789. On a rotting Russula nigricans, pine grove at top of Lone Pine Hill, 

 September 12, 1915. Photo and drawing of conidiospores. 



2366. On rotting mushroom near Meeting of the Waters branch, by middle 

 path, July 5, 1916. Photo. 



2383. On dying Russtila nigricans, base of Lone Pine Hill, June 28, 1916. 



Asheville. Beardslee. 



Middle and upper districts, on rotten agarics. Curtis. 



