230 BRITISH FUNGI 



Known by its small size, and grey, silky cap. 

 On beech trunks, etc., also on soil. 



P. ephehius. — Cap i^-zh in. across, soon almost plane, edge 

 naked and often wavy, rest covered with a bluish grey down ; gills 

 rather distant, yellowish salmon-colour ; stem 2-3 in. long, whitish 

 or tinged grey, smooth. 



Uifters from P. ccrvinits in the minutely velvety or downy cap, 

 which is sometimes brownish violet. 



On trunks, etc. 



P. salicinus. — Cap |— i in. across, soon almost plane and rather 

 umbonate, bluish or with a green tinge, disc darker and floccosely 

 rugulose ; gills pinkish salmon-colour ; stem about i in. long, 

 bluish or greenish, then grey or white. 



Differs from P. ephebius in the somewhat umbonate cap not being 

 downy, and the rugulose disc. 



On willow and other trunks. 



var. heryllus. — Cap with greenish streaks. On alder. 



var. floccosa. — Cap floccosely squamulose. 



Differs from P. ephehius in the wrinkled disc. 



P. pellitus. — Cap 1-2 in, across, becoming expanded and some- 

 what umbonate, silky-fibrous, white ; gills crowded, white, then 

 flesh-colour, edge slightly toothed ; stem about 2 in. long, shining, 

 white. 



The only Pliiteus with a pure white cap and stem. Differs from 

 Entoloma prunuloides in the free gills and absence of mealv smell. 



Among grass at the roots of trees, etc. 



P. nanus. — Cap i-i-l- in. across, soon almost plane, umber or 

 smoky brown, wrinkled, minutely flocculose or pruinose ; gills 

 free, but rather close to the stem, pale salmon-colour ; stem 1-2 in. 

 long, slightly striate, white. 



On stumps, fallen sticks, etc. 



var. lutescens. — Stem and gills, or the first-named only, yellowish. 



var. major. — Larger than the typical form. Greyish. 



All the forms are smaller than P. cervinus, but are best separated 

 by the subglobose warted spores. In P. cervinus the spores are 

 elliptical and smooth. 



P, spilopus. — Cap i-ii in. across, subumbonate, with a de- 

 pression round the umbo, radially wrinkled, brown or dark fawn- 

 colour ; gills pale salmon-colour ; stem whitish or tinged fawn- 

 colour, with scattered black points. 



Distinguished by the black points on the stem. 



On stumps. 



P. semibulbosus. — Cap about I in. across, slightly mealy, coarsely 

 striate, white ; gills narrow, salmon-colour ; stem about 5 in. long, 

 somewhat bulbous, white. 



