320 BRITISH FUNGI 



spores. The stem is elongated, whitish, and shining. Growing on 

 dung or ricii soil. 



GOMPHIDIUS 



A genus including, only a very few British species, which are 

 readily recognized by the peculiarly tough, elastic consistency of the 

 entire plant, usually very viscid or glutinous. The gills are always 

 distinctly decurrent. The spores are exceptionally large, narrowly 

 fusiform or spindle-shaped, dingy olive, resembling the spores of 

 species of Boletus. A genus without any close affinities, and which 

 might, with equal reason, have been placed in any other group 

 having coloured spores. 



Hypholoma 



This genus contains several species that are abundant every- 

 where, forming dense tufts at the base of dead stumps, posts, etc. 

 The prevailing colour is yellow with a rufous or inclining to brick- 

 red centre. The secondary veil does not form a distinctly mem- 

 branaceous ring round the stem, thus separating this genus from 

 its closest ally, Stropharia, but mostly remains in the form of frag- 

 ments attached to the edge of the cap. The gills in some species are 

 inclined to be deliquescent, but such differ from Coprinus in the 

 fleshy cap, solid stem, and brighter colours. 



Agrees in structure with Tricholoma in the Leucosporeae, with 

 Entoloma in the Rhodosporeae, and with Hebeloma in the Ochro- 

 sporeae. 



Pan^olus 



Closely allied to Anellaria, differing mainly in the absence of a 

 ring on the stem. The cap remains persistently conical or cam- 

 panulate. The gills are dark grey and mottled with the black 

 spores. The stem is always smooth. The species grow on dung 

 or rich ground. 



PSATIIYRELLA 



The distinctly striate cap is a strong suggestion of the genus 

 Psathyrella, which differs from the striate forms of Coprinus in not 

 being at all deliquescent. The present genus is also closely allied 

 to Psathyra, which differs in the purple or brown colour of the 

 spores. 



Mostly small fungi, with rather elongated, slender, usuall}' whitish 

 stems. 



Psathyra 



Cap thin, generally campanulate at first, stem usually elongated, 

 slender, and whitish. Known from Psilocyhe by the edge of the 

 cap being straight (not incurved) and pressed to the stem when 

 young. Differs from Psathyrella in ha^•ing brown or purplish gills 

 and spores. 



All the species are slender and hygrophanous, growing on the 

 ground or on decayed trunks of trees. Often tufted. 



