The Imbricated tricholoma, Tricholoma wmbricatum, closely 
resembles the Changing tricholoma in size, color and taste. It 
is, however, easily separated by its dry cap and solid stem. Its 
cap is reddish-brown or cinnamon-brown and its surface often 
presents a somewhat scaly appearance because the epidermis be- 
comes lacerated or torn into small irregular fragments which ad- 
here and seem to overlap like shingles on a roof. The flesh is 
firm, white or whitish and has a farinaceous taste and odot. 
The gills scarcely differ in color and character from those of 
the preceding species, and the stem is colored nearly like the cap 
but usually is a little paler. When old it is sometimes hollow 
from the erosion of insects whose larvee are fond of the flesh. 
The Imbricated mushroom grows under or near coniferous 
trees and appears in autumn. It is sometimes associated with 
the Changing mushroom, and also with the very similar Vaccine 
tricholoma, T'richoloma vaccinum, and it. has the same habit of 
growth as these. All of them often grow in close clusters or 
tufts. The Vaccine mushroom is separated from the Imbricated 
mushroom in having the margin of the cap, when young, cov- 
ered with a soft downy or cottony coat, the stem hollow and the 
taste bitter and unpleasant. Still it is recorded as edible by Gil- 
let, so that if it should be confused with either of the two forego- 
ing species probably no serious arm would result. The good 
flavor of the others might be impaired by the inferior flavor of 
this one. 
The Gray tricholoma, Tricholoma terreum, is an exceedingly 
variable species, both in size and color. The cap is dry and 
clothed with hairs or fibrils which are often collected in small 
tufts or scales. When expanded it is nearly flat, but in many 
cases it has a small central prominence or umbo. Its color va- 
ries in different plants from gray to blackish-brown. In one lo- 
cality the dark colored forms have received the name “black- 
cap” mushroom. The flesh is thin toward the margin and usual- 
ly dingy or grayish-white. Its taste in most cases is farinaceous, 
but this is not a uniform character in all the forms. The gills 
are broad, rather wide apart, usually rounded behind, that is, 
next the stem, of a dingy white or grayish color, and often 
eroded or uneven on the edge. The stem is whitish, or at least 
paler than the cap, and is stuffed or hollow. 
The cap is one to three inches broad, and the stem one to 
three inches long and one-sixth to one-half an inch thick. The 
plant appears in autumn, and in some of the southern States 
may be found as late as December or even January. It grows-in 
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