THE BLACK-SPORBD AGARICS 



341 



into segments, frequently hanging to the margin of the cap. By close observation 

 one will sometimes detect a black band on the stem, caused by the falling of tht 

 black spores, when the plant is damp, before the pileus has separated from the 

 stem. The spores are black and elliptical. 



I have found it a number of times on the Chillicothe high school lawn, especial- 

 ly after it was fertilized in the winter. It is found mostly on dung from June to 

 October. I do not recommend it as a delicacv. 



Figure 277. Panaeolus epimyces. Note black spores in central foreground. Note also huge masses of 



abortive stuff upon which it grows. 



Panceolus epimyces. Pk. 



Epimyces is from epi, upon ; myces, a mushroom ; so called because it is 

 parasitic on fungi. There are a number of species of mushrooms whose habitat 

 is on other mushrooms or fungus growths ; such as Collybia cirrhata, C. racemosa, 

 C. tuberosa, Volvaria loveiana and the species of Nyctalis. 



The pileus is fleshy, at first subglobose. then convex, white, silky, fibrillose, 

 flesh white or whitish, soft. 



The gills are rather broad, somewhat close, rounded behind, adnexed, dingy- 

 white, becoming brown or blackish, with a white edge. 



The stem is short, stout, tapering upwards, strongly striate and minutely 

 mealy or pruinose ; solid in the young plant, hollow in the mature, but with the 



