FIELD BOOK OF COMMON GILLED MUSHROOMS 



usually white and smooth; solid; firm; attached to the cap to 

 one side of the center or at its margin; i to 2 inches long. 



Spores pale lilac; oblong; .00035 to .00045 iiich long. 



The peculiar character which distinguishes this species 

 and about the only one that is available for separating it in 

 all cases from Pleurotus ostreatus (the oyster mushroom) 

 is the lilac tint of the spores. When these are collected on 

 black or brown paper they have a sordid, whitish appearance, 

 but if caught on white paper, the color of the mass is a very 

 pale dull lilac. It has seemed to me that they are whitish, 

 even when collected on white paper, when first thrown 

 down, but after a short exposiire to the air, or after a greater 

 accumulation of them, the lilac tint appears. Notwith- 

 standing this peculiarity in the color of its spores, the species 

 is classed among the white-spored mushrooms and it is, 

 perhaps, a question whether it is, after all, anything more 

 than a variety of Pleurotus ostreatus. 



It is quite common and is more abundant in wet weather. 

 Sometimes it appears to grow from the ground, but a careful 

 investigation would show that it starts from some decaying 

 root or buried piece of wood. I have eaten it both fried and 

 stewed and consider it to be about the same in edible qualities 

 as the oyster mushroom. Peck. 



Pleurotus ulmarius; elm pleurotus. Species 108. 

 Figure 30. 



On stumps or cut branches of elm trees; September tc 

 November; in groups or clusters; edible. 



Cap convex or nearly flat; firm; smooth; white, whitish or 

 tinged near the center with a yellowish hue; the peel is some- 

 times cracked in small areas, making the cap look scaly; 

 flesh white; 3 to 5 inches broad. 



GUIs broad and rather far apart; notched at the end near 

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