TRICHOLOMA. 177 



VI. SPONGIOSA. 



Pileus compact then spongy, obtuse, even, glabrous, moist 

 but not hygrophanous. 



Firm, appearing in the autumn, in troops. Stem stout, 

 base usually incrassated, spongy-fibrous. Gills at length 

 spuriously decurrent, but sinuate, a character by which the 

 species are readily distinguished from Clitocybe. 



* Gills not discoloured. 

 ** Gills discoloured. 



Gills readily separating from the pileus in T. cinerascens and 

 some others. 



VII. HYGROPHANA. 



Pileus thin, somewhat umbonate, flesh at length soft, 

 hygrophanous. 



Stem not rooting, containing a pith, entirely fibrillose. 

 Pileus unequally fleshy, hence more or less umbonate, very 

 thin towards the margin. Colour of the pileus, both when 

 moist and dry, very variable in the same species. Flesh 

 moist, watery ; at first compact, then soft ; gills thin, not 

 broad. 



Pileus sometimes pulverulent, but this is abnormal, and 

 due to the persistence of the veil during dry weather. 

 Closely allied to the group Spongiosa, but tending towards 

 Collybia rather than Clitocybe. 



* GiUs whitish, not spotted. 

 ** Gills more or less violet, grey, or smoky. 



Series A. 

 I. LIMACINA. 



* Gill* not discoloured. 



Tricholoma equestre. Linn. 



Pileus 3-5 in. across, flesh thick, firm, white; convex 

 then expanded, obtuse or sometimes more or less gibbous, 

 often wavy, discoid, viscid, squamulose, yellow usually with 

 a rufous tinge, disc darker, often greenish late in the season, 



