OCHRE-SPORED AGARICS. 161 



Crepidotus applanatus Fr., is a larger species, shelving and often 

 imbricated. Crepidotus fulvotomentosus Pk., is a pretty species with a 

 tomentose cap and tawny scales, usually occurring singly. It is 

 closely related to C calolepis Fr. 



Figure 154 is from plants of Crepidotus versutus Pk., (No. 2732 

 C. U. herbarium) collected on rotting wood at Freeville, N. Y., eight 

 miles from Ithaca. The plants are represented twice natural size. 



CORTINARIUS Fr. 



The genus Cortinarius is chiefly distinguished from the other 

 genera of the ochre-spored agarics by the presence of a spider-web- 

 like (arachnoid) veil which is separate from the cuticle of the pileus, 

 that is, superficial. The gills are powdered by the spores, that is, 

 the spores fall away with difficulty and thus give the gills a pulveru- 

 lent appearance. The plants are fleshy and decay easily. It is 

 necessary to have plants in the young as well as the old state to 

 properly get at the characters, and the character of the veil is only 

 seen in young or half developed specimens. The species are to be 

 distinguished from other ochre-spored agarics with a cobwebby veil 

 by the fact that the veil in Cortinarius is superficial and the gills 

 powdery. The number of species is very large, and they are diffi- 

 cult to determine. They mostly occur in northern countries and in 

 the autumn or late summer ; some species, however, occur during 

 early summer. Peck, 23d Report, N. Y. State Mus., p. 105-112, 

 describes 21 species. 



Cortinarius (Inoloma) violaceus (L.) Fr. Edible. This species is known 

 by the violet or dark violet color which pervades all parts of the 

 plant. The plants are 8-10 cm. high, the pileus 7-15 cm. broad, and 

 the stem is bulbous, 6-8 mm. in thickness. The veil is single. It 

 occurs in woods and open places during late summer and in the 

 autumn. The flesh of the plant is also violet, and this color is 

 imparted to the liquid when the plant is cooked. The flavor is said 

 to be something like that of Agaricus campestris. 



Cortinarius (Myxacium) collinitus (Pers.) Fr. Edible. This is known 

 as the smeared cortinarius because of the abundant glutinous sub- 

 stance with which the plant is smeared during moist or wet weather, 

 It grows in woods. The plants are 7-10 cm. high, the cap 5-8 cm. 

 in diameter, and the stem is 8-12 mm. in thickness. It is usually 

 known by the smooth, even, tawny cap, the great abundance of 

 slimy substance covering the entire plant when moist, and when dry 

 the cracking of the gluten on the stem into annular patches. 



The pileus is convex to expanded, smooth, even, glutinous when 



