44: Journal OF THE Mitchell Society [October 



8. Cantharellus clavatus Pers. 

 Cantharellus brevipes Pk. 



Plates 13, 14 and 16. 



Plants clustered and some with fused stems, up to 16 cm. broad 

 and 16 cm. Ingli, deeply infundibuliform or with only slightly ele- 

 vated margins and undulately plain; the margins sometimes bent 

 down, sometimes straight; surface nearly smooth, slightly pruinose, 

 the very thin superficial layer easily splitting into fibers so that the 

 surface becomes marked with lines and areas where the lighter 

 colored layer shows; color buffy-brown, distinctly tinted with 

 lilac, which is the result of the deei) lilac flesh showing through. The 

 color varies in different parts of the cap, the margin as it dries show- 

 ing little lilac. As the plant gets old a rosy tint is added to the lilac 

 flesh and also to the cap, and this may grow deeper until both become 

 rosy red with a tint of lilac. The rosy color of the cap becomes 

 darker and sordid as decay begins. Flesh of the cap soft and spongy, 

 but not fragile ; taste very mild and pleasant. 



Gills rounded, vein-like, composed of ridges and folds that are ap- 

 proximately parallel towards the margin, anastomosing more down- 

 wards and strongly decurrent. The color of the gills and surface 

 between is a deep lavender brown, much deeper than the cap, and 

 with the maturity of the spores their cinnamon color is added to the 

 other tints as an obviously superficial dusting. 



Stem about 6-8 cm. long, tapering downward, solid, much more 

 firm than the cap, nearly smooth and colored like the hymenium ex- 

 cept at the base which is white ; the flesh like that of the cap, a deep 

 lavender, turning through gray to white at base. The plants are 

 often fused at base and several caps may arise from one stem. The 

 stem is usually central, but may be lateral through the failure of 

 the caps to expand on one side. When placed on white paper when 

 fresh the gills leave a permanent light lavender stain. 



Spores cinnamon-buff, long-elliptic, smooth, 3.Y-4.6 x 12-15. T/^. 



This interesting and very rare plant is new to the South, and 

 has been collected only a few times even in the I^orth. Murrill in 

 !N^. Am. Flora 9: 171. 1910, lists it as doubtful, saying "It does not 



