Porphyrosporae 



H. fascicula'ris Huds. fasciculus, a small bundle. (Plate XCVIII, 

 P- 352.) PileilS about 2 in. broad, light yellow, the disk commonly 

 darker, fleshy, thin, convex, then flattened, somewhat umbonate or 

 obtuse, even, smooth, dry. Flesh light yellow. Stem very variable 

 in length, hollow, thin, incurved or flexuous, fibrillose, of the same 

 color as the pileus and flesh. Gills adnate, very crowded, linear, some- 

 what deliquescent, sulphur-yellow then becoming green. 



It is very easily distinguished from the preceding species by its bitter 

 odor and taste, light-yellow flesh, and somewhat deliquescent, sulpJiur- 

 yellow then green gills. It forms also more crowded clusters. There 

 are many remarkable varieties ; one robustior ( more robust ) , stem 

 thickened at the base, another nana (dwarf), both on the ground. 



Cespitose on old stumps and the ground. Extremely common. 

 Stevenson. 



Spores elliptical, 7x4^ Massee; 67x4/1, K.; 6x4^ W.G.S.; ferrugin- 

 ous purple, 6x4/i Morgan. 



"It is very usual to regard this as a poisonous species, but possibly 

 it is not so in reality." Cooke. 



West Virginia, 1881, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, 

 Mcllvaine. 



A very common species appearing in October and lasting until well 

 into the winter, growing in large, overlapping masses or in tufts from 

 old stumps or roots, and about trees where decay has begun. Some- 

 times solitary. It is then short-stemmed and sturdy. There are sev- 

 eral closely allied species. To know the one from the other, a careful 

 study of the group is necessary. (See introduction to genus, H. 

 epixanthum, H. sublateritium, H. capnoides, H. elaeodes, and H. per- 

 plexum.) Old authors give it as bitter and poisonous. The bitter is 

 not always present. Any there is disappears in cooking. It is not 

 poisonous, but one of our most valuable species. I have eaten it since 

 1 88 1. A little lemon juice or sherry will cover the slightly saponaceous 

 taste sometimes present. The caps only are good. It makes a choice 

 pickle and a good catsup. 



H. epixan'thum Fr. Gr. epixanthos, yellowish-brown. Pileus 2-3 

 in. broad, light-yellow or becoming pale, the disk commonly darker, 

 fleshy, moderately thin, convexo-plane, obtuse or gibbous, even, slightly 

 silky then becoming smooth. Flesh white, becoming light-yellow. Stem 



357 



