oi) MUSHROOMS, EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



Lepiota ameficana. Pk. 



The American Lepiota. Edible. 



I 



This plant is quite common about Chillicothe, especially upon sawdust piles. 



It grows both singly and in clusters. The umbonate cap is adorned with reddish 

 or reddish-brown scales except on the center where the color is uniformly reddish 

 or reddish-brown because the surface is not broken up into scales ; gills close, 

 free, white, ventricose; stem smooth, enlarged at the base. In some plants the 

 base of the stem is abnormally large ; ring white, inclined to be delicate. 



Wounds and bruises are apt to assume brownish-red hues. Dr. Herbst says : 

 "This is truly an American plant, not being found in any other country. This is 

 the pride of the family. There is nothing more beautiful than a cluster of this 

 fungi. To look over the beautiful scaly pileus is a sight equally as fascinating as 

 a covey of quail." 



Found in grassy lawns and on old sawdust piles, in common with Pluteus 

 cervinus. It is found almost all over the state. It is quite equal to the Parasol 

 mushroom in flavor. It has a tendency to turn the milk or cream in which it is 

 cooked to a reddish color. It is found from June to October. Mr. Lloyd suggests 

 the name Lepiota Bodhami. It is the same as the European plant L. hoemato- 

 sperma. Bull. 



Lepiota Morgani. Pk. 

 In Honor of Prof. Morgan. 



Pileus fleshy, soft, at first subglobose, then expanded or even depressed, white, 

 the brownish or yellowish cuticule breaking up into scales on the disk ; gills close, 

 lanceolate, remote, white, then green ; stem firm, equal or tapering upward, sub- 

 bulbous, smooth, webby-stuffed, whitish tinged with brown ; ring rather large, 

 movable as you will observe in Figure 35. Flesh of both pileus and stem white, 

 changing to a reddish, then to yellowish hue when cut or bruised. Spores ovate 

 or subelliptical, mostly uninucleate, sordid green. 10-13x7-8. Peck. 



This plant is very abundant about Chillicothe and I found it equally so at 

 Sidney. I have known several families to eat of it, making about half of the 

 children in each family sick. I regard it as a dangerous plant to eat. It grows 

 very large and I have seen it growing in well marked rings a rod in diameter. 

 If you are in doubt whether the plant you have is Morgani or not, let it remain 

 in the basket over night and you will plainly see that the gills are turning green. 

 The gills are white until the spores begin to fall. The plant is found in pastures 

 and sometimes in pasture woods. June to October. 



