Leucosporae 



Rich ground and decomposing vegetable matter. Also in graperies Lepiota. 

 and conservatories. Buffalo, G. W. Clinton; Albany, A. F. Chatfield. 

 Peck, 35th Rep. N. Y. State Bot. 



Spores elliptical, 7-8x4/1 Massee; 8x4^ W.G.S.; 8-10x5-81". Peck. 



Haddonfield, N. J., Pennsylvania, Mcllvaine; New York, Mrs. E. 

 C. Anthony; Indiana, H. I. Miller. July to October. 



Whoever has seen the seed-stalks of an onion knows the shape from 

 which this fungus takes its name. The dense clusters are graceful, 

 dainty, and contain many individuals of all ages from the very young 

 with egg-shaped heads, like pigmy C. comatus, to the fluff-capped eld- 

 est, willowy and fair to look upon. The out-door kind soon droops 

 when matured ; the young plants of a cluster will remain fresh for 

 several days after taken from their habitat. Stems in these tufts are 

 often quill-shaped, and the striations on the cap margins are shorter 

 than those on their indoor cousins. These grow in hot-houses and sta- 

 bles. One of the two forms has a yellow cap, the other is white and 

 fair. 



These forms have often come to my table as a pleasant winter sur- 

 prise. Children in the hot-houses of Haddonfield, N. J., watched for 

 its appearance among the bedded plants, sure of a present when they 

 brought me a meal of it. Both the white and yellow varieties were 

 equally enjoyed. 



The entire fungus is tender and delicious cooked in any way. 



L. farino'sa Pk. farina, meal. Pileus thin, rather tough, flexi- 

 ble, at first globose or ovate, then bell-shaped or convex, covered with 

 a soft, dense, white veil of mealy down, which soon ruptures, forming 

 irregular, easily-detersible scales, more persistent and sometimes brown- 

 ish on the disk. Flesh white, unchangeable. Gills close, free, white, 

 minutely downy on the edge. Stem equal or slightly tapering upward > 

 somewhat thickened at the base, slightly mealy, often becoming gla- 

 brous, hollow or with a cottony pith above, solid at the base, white, 

 pallid or straw-colored, the ring lacerated, somewhat appendiculate on 

 the margin of the pileus, evanescent. Spores subovate, 10-13x81*. 



Pileus 1.5-2.5 in. broad. Stem 2-3 in. long, 2-4 lines thick. 



Mushroom beds in a conservatory, Boston, Mass. March. Com- 

 municated by E. J. Forster. 



This species is related to L. cepaestipes, from which it may be dis- 



47 



