WHITE-SPORED AGARICS. 



97 



grassy places, or among moss, etc., on the ground or on very rotten 

 wood. The plants are from 5-10 cm. high, the cap 1-2 cm. broad, 

 and the stem about 2 mm. in thickness. It is widely distributed in 

 Europe, America, and other North temperate countries. 



The pileus is viscid when moist, ovate to conic or campanulate, 

 and later more or less expanded, obtuse, the margin striate, and some- 

 times minutely toothed. The usual color is grayish, but in age it often 

 becomes reddish. The gills are decurrent by a small tooth, and quite 

 variable in color, whitish, then gray, or tinged with blue or red. 



The stem is very slender, flexuous, or straight, fistulose, tough, 

 with soft hairs at the base, usually yellowish, sometimes the same 

 color as the cap, and viscid like the cap when moist. Figure 98 is 

 from plants (No. 4547, C. \J: herbarium) collected at Ithaca in 

 August, 1899. 



Mycena vulgaris Pers. This common and pretty species is easily 

 recognized by its smoky or grayish color, the umbilicate pileus and 

 very slimy stem. It grows on decaying leaves, sticks, etc., in woods. 

 It occurs in clusters. The plants are small, 3-5 cm. high, the cap 

 4-7 mm. broad, and the stem about 1.5 mm. in thickness. 



The pileus is thin, bell-shaped, then convex, and depressed 

 at the center, with a papilla usually in the center, finely striate on 

 the margin, and slightly viscid. The gills are white, thin, and finally 

 decurrent, so that from 

 the form of the cap and 

 the decurrent gills the 

 plant has much the ap- 

 pearance of an Ompha- 

 lia. The stem is very 

 viscid, grayish in color, 

 often rooting at the 

 base, and with white 

 fibrils at the base, be- 

 coming hollow. 



Figure 99 is from 

 plants collected in woods 

 near Ithaca, during 

 August, 1899. 



Mycena acicula 

 Schaeff. This is one 

 of the very small my- 

 cenas, and with the 

 brilliant red pileus and 



Figure 99. Mycena vulgaris. Entirely white, center 

 of cap grayish, entire plant very slimy when moist 

 (natural size). Copyright. 



