REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST, 1898 673 



Rhytisma salicinum {Pers^ Fr. 



A parasitic fungus which attacks the leaves of various species of 

 willows in Europe, Asia and America. The only willow on the summit 

 of Mt Marcy is the bearberry willow. The fungus forms large, black 

 protuberances on the upper surface of the leaves and black spots on the 

 lower surface directly under the protuberances. The leaves of this willow 

 are so small that usually but one protuberance occupies a leaf. 



EDIBLE FUNGI 

 Tricholoma portentosum centrale Fk. 



Central Tricholoma 

 Plate 57 fig. 1-5 



Pileus convex, sometimes slightly umbonate, viscid, virgate with innate 

 blackish fibrils, sooty brown in the center, pale yellow or greenish yellow 

 elsewhere, flesh white; lamellae moderately broad and close, emarginate, 

 white or yellowish; stem equal, solid, white; spores broadly elliptic, 

 0003 in. long, .0002 broad. 



This variety of the dingy Tricholoma, T. portentosum^ is well marked 

 by the colors of the cap, which is pale yellow or greenish yellow except 

 in the center where it is sooty brown or blackish brown. Minute brown 

 or blackish lines or fibrils radiate from the center toward the margin. 

 When fresh or moist the surface of the cap is viscid. The flesh is white 

 and the taste mild. 



The gills are white or yellowish, rather broad and rounded at the end 

 next the stem to which they are narrowly and slightly attached. Some- 

 times they are transversely striated or streaked by lighter lines. The stem 

 is nearly equal in thickness in all its parts. It is solid and white or 

 whijtish both externally and internally. The cap is from i to 3 in. broad; 

 the stem 1.5 to 3 in. long, 3 to 5 lines thick. The plants are gregarious 

 and inhabit thin woods. They may be found in autumn. This is a fairly 

 good edible mushroom, but not superior in any respect to many others 

 that are more abundant. The typical form of the species, Tricholoma 

 portentosum^ has the cap of a uniform sooty brown color. Saunders and 

 Smith figure a variety which occurs in England and which has the cap 

 greenish yellow with a sooty brown center almost exactly like our plant. 

 The brown color of the central part of the cap is very conspicuous and 

 is suggestive of the name we have given to this variety. 



