1932] The Laccarias and Clitocybes of North Carolina 119 



15. Clitocybe ectypoides Pk. 



Plates 27, 28 and 33 



Very persistent and slow to decay. Cap up to 9.8 cm. wide, 

 usually 2-3 cm., hygrophanous, deeply umbilicate, the margin inrolled, 

 or at maturity reflexed, often with a sinus on one side, and fre- 

 quently splitting in age into several parts; surface distinctly lined 

 radially with fibrous streaks; when young, distinctly but sparsely 

 squamulose, especially toward the margin, with small tufts of darker 

 fibers which terminate the fibrous lines; color when water-soaked 

 dull ochraceous with a superficial tint of purplish-red; when not 

 soaked the purple-red color is much more distinct and as it is con- 

 fined mostly to the fibers and squamules it is much plainer on the 

 margin. In old age this superficial tint becomes almost or quite 

 invisible to the naked eye, but with a lens can be detected at all 

 times on the margin. Flesh quite thin, 1.5 mm. thick near stem, 

 }^ mm. thick near margin, whitish, tough, nearly tasteless. 



Gills rather close to sub-distant, not venose-connected, some fork- 

 ing and occasionally anastomosing, narrow, only about 2 mm. wide 

 at best, the edges blunt; color nearly the same at all ages, a clear 

 golden yellow (about mustard yellow of Ridgway). On account of 

 the shape of the cap the gills are apparently decurrent, but in sec- 

 tion it will be seen that they are not at all so, but end at a slight 

 ridge at the top of the stem. 



Stem up to 2.5 cm. long and 4.5 mm. thick, equal, quite firm and 

 tough, solid at all ages, surface smoothish, faintly lined longitudinally, 

 pale, soaked-ochraceous, very light when dry, lighter than cap at all 

 times, never yellow. The tip is nearly white and the base enlarged 

 by the soft white, compacted mycelium. 



Spores (of No. 1421), white, ovate, very hyaline, at first sight 

 only the bright oil drop visible. 3.8-4.2 x 5.9-8.5fjL. 



On rotting pine logs, not common. 



Others have failed to mention the reddish-purple color of the cap 

 fibers, but as in all other respects our plant is unmistakably C. 

 ectypoides, a clearly marked species, I have no doubt that this char- 

 acter has been overlooked. The species has the size and somewhat 

 the appearance of Omphalia stromhodes but easily differs in the 

 purplish red tint to the cap, the solid stem, and in the gills being 



