Ochrosporse 

 TAPINIA (to depress). Page -i-^.O 



Pileus generally eccentric or resupinate. Spores rust-color. On the Paxillus. 

 ground or on stumps. 



So far as known the species of this genus are harmless. Many of 

 them are large, fleshy and inviting in appearance, but their flesh is 

 usually dry and coarse, and, though absorbent, is hard to cook tender. 

 P. atrotomentosus, which seems to be rare, is an exception. The flesh 

 of this species being firm in texture and readily made into a first-class 

 dish. 



LEPIS'TA. 



P. lepis'ta Fr. lepista, a pan. Pileus 2-4 in. broad, flat or depressed, 

 dirty-white, smooth, sometimes minutely cracked near the margin 

 which is thin,. involute and often undulate. Stem very variable in length, 

 1-4 in., %% in. thick, dingy white or cream, solid, white inside, 

 equal, with a cartilaginous cuticle passing between the gills and the 

 flesh of the pileus, base blunt, villous, white. Gills very decurrent, 

 crowded, 2-3 lines broad, slightly branched but not at the base, dingy- 

 white becoming darker, 



Spores reddish, becoming dingy brown. Broadly pyriforme 6x8/* 

 Massee. 



Pennsylvania. September, 1894. Mcllvaine. Albion, N. Y., Dr. 

 CnsJdng, 1898. 



On ground in woods and margins of woods. 



Flesh white. Gills narrow, crowded, brittle, decurrent, dingy-white 

 or pale-buff, easily separating from cap. Stem solid, elastic, at length 

 hollow, often short, an inch long, tapering downward, frequently up to 

 four inches in length and equal, base villose. 



Resembling Lactarius piperatus and some forms of Clitocybe. It is 

 separated from the former by the absence of milk and from the latter by 

 its involute margin. The Clitocybe resembling it are all edible. 



Smell strong, like old oily nuts. Edible but coarse. 



P. li'vidus Cke. Pileus 1-2 in. across, convex, at length slightly 

 depressed at the disk, margin slightly arched and incurved, dingy- 

 white, or livid ochraceous, opaque. Gills decurrent, arcuate, almost 



327 



