THE PURP LB-BROW N-SPORBD AGARICS 



327 



Figure 265. Hypholoma sublateritium. Natural size. 



Hypholoma perplcxum. Pk. 

 The Perplexing Hypiioloaia. Edibij:. 



Perplexum means perplexing-; so called because it is quite difficult to dis- 

 tinguish it from H. sublateritium, also from H. fascicularis. From the latter 

 it may be known by its redder cap, its whitish flesh, purple-brown tint of the 

 mature gills and mild flavor. Its smaller size, the greenish and purplish tint of 

 the gills, and the slender hollow stem will aid in distinguishing it from H. 

 perplexum. 



The pileus is complex, fleshy, expanded, smooth, sometimes broadly and 

 slightly umbonate, brown with a pale-yellow margin, disk sometimes 

 reddish. 



The gills are rounded, notched, easily separating from the stem, pale-yellow, 

 greenish ash-color, finally purplish-brown, thin, quite close. 



The stem is nearly equal, firm, hollow, slightly fibrillose, yellowish or whitish 

 above and reddish-brown below. The spores are elliptical and purplish 

 brown. 



This plant is very abundant in Ohio. It grows about old stumps, but a 

 favorite habitat seems to be upon old sawdust piles. I have found it after we have 

 had considerable freezing weather. The plants in the figure were frozen when 



