PLEUEOTUS. 379 



On wood, brandies, twigs, decaying fungi, dung, &c. 



Small, but very variable in form. Superficially resem- 

 bling Olandopus variabilis, but the gUls are persistently 

 white, as are also the spores. 



Distinguished from the other small white species of Pleu- 

 rotus by the thicker flesh of the pUeus, and more evident 

 stem, and by the gills being at first uppermost, and then 

 turned over. 



** P ileus fleshy, striate, upper layer gelatinous. 



Pleurotus mastrucatus. Fr. 



Pilens up to 2 in. long and 1 in. broad, sessile, at first re- 

 supinate then expanded and horizontal, often lobed, upper 

 stratum of pileus gelatinous, brown, bristling with squar- 

 rotse or erect squamules ; flesh thickish; gills radiating 

 from the point of attachment, broad, rather distant, greyish 

 Avhite. 



Agaricus (Pleurotus) mastrucatus, Piies, Sv«t. Myc, i. p. 

 190; Cke., Hdbk., p. lO'J ; Cke., lUustr., pl.'24-3A. 



On old trunks. 



Imbricated. EeadUy distinguished by the brown, squar- 

 rosely scaly pileus. 



Pleurotus atrocoeruleus. Fr. 



Pileus 1-2 in. long, up to 1 in. broad, at first resupinate, 

 snon distinctly reflexed and horizontal, obovate or reniform, 

 downy, rarely almost glabron.s, rugulose when dry due to 

 contraction of the cuticle, usually blackish-blue, rarely fus- 

 cous ; flesh soft, superior stratum (pellicle) slightly gelati- 

 nous, up to 2 lines thick, blackisb-brown ; lower layer, or 

 flesh proper, thin and whitish ; gills at first radiating from a 

 point, then converging towards the base, broad, whitish, at 

 lensth tinged with yellow ; spores 7-8 x 5 /j.. 



Agaricus (Pleurotus) atrocoeruleus, Fries, Epicr., p. 137 ; 

 Cke., Illustr., pi. 243b. 



On rotten trunks of beech and poplar, in densely shaded 

 places. 



SessUe, gregarious, somewhat imbricated. Smell very 

 pleasant. (Fries.) 



