228 



MUSHROOMS. EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



The gills are broad, nearly white, flesh-colored near the base, coarsely toothed. 



The stem is usually obsolete, yet in some cases it is apparent. 



The spores are almost round and very small, .00006 inch in diameter. In all 

 plants which I have found the odor is somewhat strong and the taste is pungent. 

 It grows in the woods in September and October. 



Lentdnus lepideus, Fr. 



The Scaly Lkxtixis. Edible. 



PlCUUt 182. Lentinus lepideus. 



Lepideus is from 

 lepis, a scale. 



The pileus is 

 fleshy, compact, 

 convex, then de- 

 pressed, unequal, 

 broken up in dark 

 scales, flesh white, 

 tough. 



The gjU s are 

 sinuate, decurrent, 

 broad, torn, trans- 

 versely s tr i a t e , 

 whitish, or with 

 white edges, ir- 

 regularly toothed. 



The stem is stout, 

 central or lateral, 

 tomentose or seal v. 

 often crooked, root- 

 ing, whitish, solid, 

 equal or tapering at 

 the base. 



This is a peculiar 

 plant, growing 

 sometimes to im- 

 mense forms. It 

 grows on wood, 

 seemingly to be 

 partial to railroad 

 ties to which its 



