LEVINE: SPORADIC APPEARANCE OF NON-EDIBLE MUSHROOMS 61 
slightly decurrent. C. sudorifica Peck has an irregularly shaped 
pileus which often becomes lobed; the gills are adnate and 
slightly decurrent; the pileus is watery when moist and whitish 
or grayish white when dry. This species was confused with 
C. dealbata, but the presence of sudorific properties forms a 
good basis for distinguishing them. The size of the spores in all 
these forms is approximately the same. While C. dealbata and 
its varieties are generally known to inhabit lawns and grassy 
places, the typical form of the species and the var. deformata have 
been reported growing in mushroom houses. As far as may be 
judged from the descriptions and the study of Peck’s original 
herbarium material the species and varieties are separated only 
with great difficulty, yet I believe that the specimens I found are 
more like the typical C. dealbata, although I have not studied the 
toxicological properties of the juices of these various plants. 
Ford* and his collaborators found that the juices of C. 
sudorifica were very toxic to guinea pigs and rabbits. Peck de- 
scribed earlier the sudorific effect induced by eating this plant. 
Gillott and Clark and Smitht have recognized and studied the 
poisonous properties of other species of the genus. In view of 
the toxic properties of the members of the genus the abundance 
of this species in a commercial mushroom house is of interest. 
As in the case of Panaeolus the species may have been introduced 
into mushroom houses through commercial spawn or flying spores. 
Tricholoma melaleucum Quél. PLATE 5, FIGS. 21-23, shows a 
fungus which I found but once in the mushroom houses. The 
sporophores were discovered in an old mushroom bed. I am not 
altogether sure of its identity. There are slight discrepancies 
between my specimens and the description of this species given 
by Murrill§ (Melanoleuca melaleuca). These differences may 
cone be accounted for by the abnormal conditions under which 
d, W. W., & Sherrick, J. L. On the properties of several species of the 
Peyporaca and a new variety of or . peau dealbata sudorifica Pk. Jour. 
.and Exp. Ther. 2: 549-558. 1911; Further observations on Fungi, particularly 
Eidaiste ene gts Pk., Pholiota autumnalis ee and Inocybe decipiens Bres. Jour. 
har Exp. Ther. 4: 321-332. 1913- 
+ Bick médicale sur l’empoisonnement par les champignons. Lyon. 1900. 
t Toxcological studies on the mushrooms Clitocybe Pee and tedinte infida. 
Mycologia 5: 224-232. pl. or. 1913. 
N. Am. Fl. 107: 7. 1914. 


