38 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURV^EY. [Bull. 



species appearing- in early spring-, others in late autumn. As far 

 as now known, the genus contains no harmful species. A few, 

 however, become tough and leathery at maturity, and therefore 

 have no food value. 



Collybia platyphylla Fr. (Plate VII.) Of the Connecticut 

 species reported, this is probably the most common edible one. 

 The cap is white or gray-brown at maturity, the center often 

 darker than the margin. In shape it is convex when young, 

 becoming expanded, and frequently has an uproUed margin at 

 maturity. The stem is short and thick in comparison with the 

 diameter of the cap. The gills are broad and distant, often 

 becoming torn or broken with age. The flesh is white, thick, and 

 firm, but very liable to become quickly water-soaked in moist 

 w^eather. It is also very frequently infested with the larvae of 

 insects. It is a large, coarse plant, resembling Pluteus ceruimis, 

 from which it may be distinguished by- its distant gills. Also 

 belonging, as it does, to the rosy-spored group, the gills of 

 P. ceninus soon assume a dull brown color due to the accumula- 

 tion of spores, while the gills of Collybia platyphylla remain 

 white. It occurs on logs which are nearly decayed, and about 

 the bases of decaying stumps. The writer has found the species 

 in Mansfield as early as May 15th, and commonly throughout the 

 summer, until the latter part of September. 



Collybia radicata Relh. (Plate VI, Bull. No. 3) is an edible 

 species not likely to be mistaken, if when collecting special notice 

 is taken of the character of the stem. This is long, and thickened 

 near the surface of the soil, tapering above as it approaches the 

 cap, and also tapering below into a long root-like strand. This 

 latter peculiarity gives the plant its specific name. The fungus 

 is commonly found growing in deep leaf-mold, and is abundant 

 throughout the season. The cap is thin, from two to four inches 

 in diameter, convex to nearly plane, and is frequently elevated in 

 the center. It is white or fawn-colored. The flesh is white and 

 thin. The gills are white, thick, and distant, sometimes joined 

 to the stem by a distinct notch similar to that noticed in the 

 description of Tricholoma, but frequently the gills extend down 

 the stem by a decurrent tooth. 



Collybia velutipes Curt. This plant is of economic im- 

 portance, not only because of its food value, but because of its 



