CLASSIFICATION 343 



P. nuciseda. — Cap |-| in. across, obsoletely umbonate, pale 

 brown, yellowish when dry ; gills broad, brown, then blackish 

 umber ; stem about i in. long, brownish with white down. 



On fallen involucres of beech, fragments of wood, etc. 



P. atro-rufa. — Cap up to i in. across, becoming expanded, dark 

 rufous or purple-brown, paler when dry ; gills subdecurrent, umber ; 

 stem 2-3 in. long, pale bay, then whitish. 



On the ground in woods. 



*** Gills very narrow). 



P. compta. — Cap up to ij in. across, expanded and subumbonate, 

 striate, edge broken, pale ochre and atomate when dry ; umber 

 with a rosy tinge ; stem about 2 in. high, wavy, silky and 

 shining. 



Our only pale Psilocybe with a subumbonate, striate cap. 



In woods among grass. 



P. semilanceata (PI. XXIV, fig. 2). — Cap |-| in. across, acutely 

 conical, umbo often pointed, slightly viscid when moist, tinged 

 yellow or blue-green when dry ; gills blackish with purple tinge, 

 edge pale ; stem 2-3 in. long, wavy, shining, pallid. 



Distinguished by the sharp-pointed cap. 



Among grass in pastures. Gregarious. Common. 



var. ccerulescens. — Base of stem greenish blue, 



2. Cap without a viscid pellicle, often splitting, hygrophanoiis ; 

 gills adnexed, rarely adnate ; stem rigid. 



P. cano-brunnea. — Cap 2-3 in. across, convex, then plane, fleshy 

 brown, pale when dry ; gills almost free, purple-brown ; stem about 

 2 in. high, squamulose, whitish, rooting. 



On naked or scorched ground. 



P. spadicea. — -Tufted. Cap 1-3 in. across, soon almost plane, 

 bay-brown when moist, pallid when dry ; gills dry, crowded, pale, 

 then rosy brown ; stem 2-4 in. long, equal, whitish. 



At the base of trunks, among dead leaves, etc. 



var. hygrophiliis. — Large. Cap brown, then dingy ochre ; gills 

 with a long decurrent line down the stem ; stem 4-6 in. long, fusi- 

 form and rooting. 



At roots of trees in damp places. 



var. polycephalus. — Densely crowded ; stems thin, wavy ; cap 

 coloured as in typical form. 



Forming large, dense tufts at the roots of trees, etc. Distin- 

 guished from Hypholoma appendiciilaiitm by the entire absence of 

 a veil. 



P. squalens. — Cap 1-2 in. across, convex, then ])lanc, smooth, 

 lurid, then pale ; gills adnato-dccurrent, crowded, brown ; stem 

 about 2 in. long, nearly colour of cap, apex striate. 



On and near trunks. Solitary or tufted. 



