233 



Mvcolo^ical BnJlctin Xos. 



and 08 



[Vol. lY 



AN EARLY MUS?TROOAI — NAUCORIA PEDIADES Fr. 



Arthur L. Smitli, Cohiiiibiis. Ohio. 



This is the first mushroom of the season. It was found April .".. 

 1906, growing on twigs and in the grass. Even then some of the speci- 

 mens showed signs of old age and decaj'. The plant was found in con- 

 siderahle ahundance on April Ij, after a warm rain; later but two or 

 three were found. 



Naucoria belongs to the Ochre-Spored Agarics, and corresponds to 

 Collybia among the White-Spored species. Indeed, on cursory examina- 

 tion, one would be almost sure to call it Collybia. 



Atkinson says for the description of the genus, "Gills free or attached. 

 but not decurrent, and stem is cartilaginous." But he does not mention 

 this interesting little species. Mcllvaine gives a longer description of the 

 genus, and lists also this species. In my specimens, the pileus was two 

 or three cm. broad, and quite irregular in shape. It varies from convex 

 when young, to flat or even reflexed when older. 



The color of the pileus varies with the dryness. INIost of the speci- 

 mens grew in moist places, and were a medium brown color. But those 

 that were dry on the surface and those that dried out afterwards were a 

 quite light brown. The contrast was marked. If the dry plants were wet, 

 they soon returned to the deeper brown. All parts of the plants were of 

 nearly the same color as the wet pileus. The spore print is ferruginous, 

 while the individual spores are 6x4 mic. The hollow subcartilaginous 

 stem is irregular and often flattened. 



Supt. j\l. E. Hard, to whom specimens were sent, says, "It is without 

 doubt 'Naucoria pediadcs Fr.', and is edible." I did not test it-; edible 

 qualities, but did find when raw the taste insipid. The illustration. 

 Fig. IF'.], represents two of these plants in their native habitat. 



Fig. 18;!. Nau-co'-ri-a pe-di'-a-des. I'"<ir (icsciiiititiii sec text. 



The Mycological Bulletin is issued Monthly, Price 2^c. Copies of Vol. II ( 1904> and Vol. 

 Ill 119051 may be had for 50 cents each, or cloth bound copies for 75 cents. No. copies 

 remain of Vol. I > 1902 I. Address W. A. Kellerman, Columbus, Ohio 



