32 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



flavor was satisfactory and the species is deemed worthy of a 

 place in our edible list even though the European plant has been 

 published by some writers as poisonous. 



Pholiota vermiflua Pk. 

 WORMY PHOLIOTA 



PLATE 86, FIG. 13-20 



Pileus convex or nearly plane, glabrous or occasionally floccose 

 squamose on the margin, sometimes areolate rimose in the center, 

 white, occasionally slightly tinged with j^ellow; lamellae close, 

 adnexed, white becoming ferruginous brown, generally minutely 

 eroded on the edge; stem hollow, equal, striated at the top, white, 

 the annulus more or less floccose on the lower surface, lacerated 

 or evanescent, white; spores elliptic, ferruginous brown, .0005 of 

 an inch long, .0003 broad. 



The wormy pholiota is closely related to the early pholiota, 

 from which it may be separated by its larger size, thicker flesh, 

 stouter stem, whiter color and the tendency of its pileus to crack 

 into areas in the center. It is very liable to be infested by the 

 larvae of insects and this is suggestive of the specific name. 



The cap in the 3'oung plant is very convex or hemispheric but 

 with advancing age it expands and becomes nearly or quite plane. 

 The central part of the surface often cracks into areas giving it 

 a scaly appearance. It also sometimes splits on the margin. It 

 is smooth or occasionally slightly floccose scaly on the margin 

 from the remains of the veil. The flesh is white. The gills are 

 at first white but they become rusty brown with age. They are 

 closely placed, excavated at the stem end and often whitish and 

 minutely eroded on the edge. The stem is nearly cylindric, hollow, 

 smooth, white and often striated at the top. Its collar is also 

 white, somewhat floccose on the lower surface, often slight, lacer- 

 ated and disappearing in mature plants, leaving the stem without 

 a collar. 



The cap is 2-4 inches broad; the stem 2-3 inches long, 3-5 lines 

 thick. The plants are usually found in rich soil in grain fields, 

 waste places and about manure piles and occur from June to 

 August. When sound and well cooked the flavor is excellent and 

 the mushroom is a fine addition to our table delicacies. 



