REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST 1901 969 



colored with age; stem nearly equal, solid, minutely flocculose 

 or fibrous striate, colored like or a little paler than the pileus; 

 spores angular, uninucleate, salmon color, .00035-.0004 of an inch 

 long, .00025-.0003 broad. 



The abortive clitopilus takes this name because it is usually 

 found growing with an imperfectly developed subglobose form 

 in which there is no distinction of cap, stem or gills. It is sim- 

 ply an irregularly rounded mass of cellular tissue of a whitish 

 color, originally described as a subglobose umbilicate downy 

 mass. It is not always umbilicate nor is the surface always 

 downy. It grows singly or in clusters of two or more. 



The well developed form is generally a clean neat appearing 

 mushroom but one of a very modest unattractive grayish colored 

 cap and stem and with gills similarly colored when young, but 

 becoming salmon huedwhen mature. The flesh is white and has a 

 farinaceous taste and odor though the last is not always distinct 

 unless the flesh is broken. The surface of the cap is usually 

 coated when young by a minute silky flocculence but with 

 advancing age this disappears or becomes scarcely visible. The 

 gills are often very decidedly decurrent in old or fully expanded 

 plants but only slightly so in young plants. When young they 

 have a pale grayish color but with advancing age they assume 

 the salmon color of the spores. They are closely placed to each 

 other and not all of equal length. The stem is nearly equal in 

 diameter in all its parts, solid, minutely flocculose or downy 

 and sometimes slightly fibrous. Its color is similar to that of 

 the cap though it is often paler. 



The cap is 2-4 inches broad; stem 1.5-3 inches long and 3-6 

 lines thick. The species is commonly gregarious in its mode of 

 growth, but sometimes it is single, sometimes tufted. It grows 

 on the ground and on much decayed wood, either in woods or in 

 open places and may be found from August to October. 



When taken in good condition and properly cooked it is an 

 excellent mushroom. If stewed gently for a short time it is less 

 agreeable than if thoroughly cooked or fried in butter. The 

 abortive form is also edible and is thought by some to be even 

 better than the ordinary form. 



