Agaricaceee 



Pieurotus. ash-color or ochraceous, fleshy, compact, spongy, somewhat dimidiate, 

 horizontal, at first pulvinate, even, at length depressed behind and here 

 and there strigose, the incurved margin entire. Stem always short, 

 firm, more or less tomentose. Gills horizontal, hence less manifestly 

 decurrent, separate behind, but branched in the middle, crowded, dingy, 

 often eroded at the edge, not glandular. 



Among the larger and firmer species. Solitary, scarcely ever cespi- 

 tose. It is commonly confounded with A. ostreatus, but is certainly a 

 different species. Although the stature is in general the same, it is 

 easily distinguished by the pileus being more compact, and more pul- 

 verulent when young, then depressed, by the gills being thinner, more 

 crowded, somewhat branched, but not anastomosing behind, and dingy 

 soot-color; the spores also are dingy. Stevenson. 



Spores oblong or cylindrical-oblong, 8x4/4 W.G.S.; 8-10x3-4/1^. 



Dr. Curtis wrote of this: "Indeed I have found several persons who 

 class this among the most palatable species. To such persons a dish 

 of fresh mushrooms need seldom be wanting, as this one can be had 

 every month of the year in this latitude." 



In New Jersey, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pa., I have found P. 

 salignus in quantity. It has been sent to me by Dr. J. R. Weist, of 

 Richmond, Ind., who writes, "I have eaten it with great enjoyment." 



In 1 88 1 I found it frequently on water beeches and willows, and thor- 

 oughly tested its edible qualities. R. K. Macadam, Boston. 



When young or fresh, it is quite equal to any Pieurotus. When old, 

 as with others of the Pleuroti, it is tough. Nevertheless their margins 

 are always edible unless decaying. 



II. DIMIDIA'TI. 



P. petaloi'des Bull. petal V>f a flower. PileilS 1-2 in. long, dingy- 

 brown, becoming pale, dimidiate, fleshy, but in no wise compact, rather 

 plane, somewJiat spatliulate, continuous with the stem and depressed be- 

 hind, hence the villous down of the stem ascends to this point (the disk) 

 of the pileus, otherwise smooth, even, margin at first involute then ex- 

 panded. Stem about % in. long, sometimes however very short, solid, 

 firm, compressed, channeled when larger, more or less villous, whitish. 

 Gills decurrent, very crowded, very narrow (scarcely beyond 2 mm. 

 broad), linear, very unequal, white then ash-color. 



144 



