19.22] The Laccarias and Clitocybes of North Carolina 107 



often water-soaked and darker, the surface with small scales in center, 

 elsewhere nearly smooth or squamulose-fibrous. 



Stem long, dark grayish-brown, tapering to a point at the crowded 

 base, solid, tough, fibrous, bent and usually twisted. 



Gills decurrent, not crowded, pale flesh color, often with brown 

 stains. 



Spores variable in size in the same plant, white, subspherical to 

 elliptic, smooth, (of No. 1342) 4.8-7.4 x 6.5-10/.. 



This plant, which is very common around stumps from July to 

 cold weather, is much like Armillaria mellea in habit, color, texture 

 and general appearance, and is easily confused with it in passing. 

 The entire absence of a veil in Clitocyhe iahescens will, however, 

 serve as an easy distinction between the two plants. Pure cultures of 

 these two species grown on wood, agar and other media by one of our 

 students, Mr. H. R. Totten, Instructor in Botany, shows that C. 

 tahescens is certainly distinct from A. mellea. In agar, the rhiz- 

 omorphs of the latter are blackish, while those of the former are 

 white. (Jour. E. Mitchell Sci. Soc. 33: 96. 1917). 



There seems no doubt that Bresadola is right in considering the 

 American plant the same as the European. His good figure is just 

 like our plants (Fung. Trident. 2: 84, pi. 197. Bulliard's plate. No. 

 601, is less good). Other synonyms given by Bresadola are Agarieus 

 socialis DC, Agarieus inarmiUatus Schulzer, Lentinus eaespitosus 

 Berk. Still other names, according to Murrill (N. Am. Flora 9 : 420. 

 1916), are Clitocyhe aquatica Banning and Peck and Armillaria 

 mellea exannulata Pk. See a note by Lloyd in Myc. Notes 6: 54. 

 1901. 



While not of first-class quality, this species is edible and on ac- 

 count of its great abundance could probably be made valuable to the 

 housekeeper. It can be easily dried and put away for future use. 



For other illustrations see Morgan, Journ. Cinn. Soc. Nat Hist. 6 : 

 pi. 4, 1883; Mcllvaine, Am. Fungi, pi. 27 (as C. monadelpka), 1900: 

 Hard, Mushrooms, pi. 12 (as C. monadelpha) , 1908. 



182. On underground wood, campus, September 27, 1908. 



188, 198, 1342, 1373, 2453, 2457. All around stumps or from underground wood 

 in October, Spores of No. 2457 elliptic, smooth, 5-6.5 x 6-8.5;tt, of No. 

 1373, 4-6 X 5.5-8/i. 

 Asheville. Not common, Beardslee. 

 Eeported by Curtis (as C. cespitosus). 



