Leucosporee 



MARAS'MIUS Fr. 



Gr. to wither or shrivel. 



Gills pliant, rather tough, Marasmms 



(Plate LI.) 



MARASMIUS OREADES. 

 About one-half natural size. 



Pileus regular, thin, tough and pliant, 

 somewhat distant, variously at- 

 tached or free, with an acute 

 entire edge. Stem cartilaginous or 

 horny, continuous with the pileus 

 but of different texture. Not pu- 

 trescent but drying up with lack 

 of moisture, reviving and assuming 

 the original form with the advent 

 of rain. This character distin- 

 guishes Marasmius from all other 

 genera of Agaricaceae. 



Its nearer relations are Collybia 

 and Mycena. 



Fries says that all Agaricaceae 

 having the smell of garlic are found 

 in this genus. On the ground, but generally on wood or leaves. 



Professor Peck reports over forty species of this genus found in New 

 York state. Several not found in New York are reported from other 

 states. The writer has found a few such species in Pennsylvania and 

 West Virginia. Many untried species will probably prove to be edible ; 

 the majority are too small to be of food value. M. urens, reported pois- 

 onous, and M. peronatus, heretofore considered poisonous, have been 

 found by the writer to be edible. Several species not described herein 

 have been tested for edibility to a limited extent only. 



In this genus occurs the famed M. oreades, the Mousseron of France, 

 the Champignon and Scotch bonnet of England, the Fairy-ring mush- 

 room of America. 



ANALYSIS OF TRIBES. 



COLLYBIA (inclining to Collybia). Page 223. 



Flesh of pileus pliant, at length rather leathery, grooved or wrinkled, 

 margin incurved at first. Stem somewhat cartilaginous; mycelium 

 woolly, absent in some species. 



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