240 



MUSHROOMS, EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



i 



/ 



Fici'RE 192. Yolvaria bombycina. Two-thirds natural 

 size. Entire plant white and silky. 



I have found the plant frequent- 

 ly about Chillicothe, usually soli- 

 tary ; but on one occasion 1 found 

 three specimens upon one trunk. 

 apparently growing from the same 

 mycelial mass. The caps of two 

 of them were each five inches 

 across. It usually grows on maple 

 and beech. If you will observe a 

 hollow beech, or sugar snag of 

 which one side is broken away. 

 leaving- the sheltered yet open nes- 

 tling place, you are very likely to 

 find snugly enscounced in its de- 

 caying heart one or more speci- 

 mens of these beautiful silky 

 plants. The volva is quite thick 

 and frequently the plant, when in 

 the egg state, has die appearance 

 of a phalloid. Found from June 

 to October. 



the apex. The flesh is while and 

 not thick. 



The gills are free, very crowded, 

 broad, ventricose, flesh-colored, 

 not reaching the margin, toothed. 

 The stem is three to six inches 

 long, tapering upward, solid, 

 smooth, the tough volva remain- 

 ing like a cup at the base. The 

 spores are rosy in mass, smooth, 

 and elliptical. The volva is large, 

 membranaceous, somewhat viscid. 



The plant in Figure 192 was 

 found August 16th, on a maple 

 tree where a limb had been brok- 

 en, on North High Street. Chilli- 

 cothe. Many people had passed 

 along and enjoyed the shade of the 

 trees but its discovery remained 

 for Miss Marian Franklin, whose 

 eyes arc trained to see birds, flow- 

 ers, and everything beautiful in 

 nature. 



I'ic.iKi: 193. Volvaria bombycina. Two thirds natural 

 . showing the gills, which are pink, then 

 dark-brown. 



