GILL FUNGI 



41 



(b) Cap bright red; stem red above, yellow below; 

 gills yellowish 

 b. Cap not sticky, yellowish ; gills white to tawny 

 Gill not decurrent, but adnate, adnexed or free 



a. Gills adnate 



( 1 ) Cap and stem covered with a greenish slime 



(2) Cap and stem without a greenish slime 



b. Gills merely touching or free 



( 1 ) Gills touching ; cap bell-shaped to convex 



(2) Gills mostly free; cap conical 



H. coccinciis 

 H. pratensis 



H . psittacinits 



H. miniatiis 



H. puniceus 



H. conicus 



Hygrophorus eburneus Ivory Watercap 



Cap small to medium, 4-8 cm. wide, ivory white, very sticky when wet, con- 

 vex to plane or upturned ; 

 stem 4-12 cm. by 4-8 mm., 

 white, sticky, dotted above 

 with tiny scales, stuffed, then 

 hollow ; gills decurrent, 

 white, darkening in drying, 

 distant ; spores subglo- 

 bose, 5-6(11. The name refers 

 to the ivory whiteness. 



In woodland and grass- 

 land, late summer and au- 

 tumn ; edible, well-flavored 

 but somewhat tough. 



Hygrophorus erubescens 

 Reddish Watercap 



Cap medium, 5-10 cm. 

 wide, white, then becoming 

 rosy-red throughout, sticky, 

 dotted-scaly or smooth, con- 

 vex or plane; stem rather stout, 5-12 cm. by 1-2 cm., white, with red spots or fibrils, 

 solid ; gills decurrent, white, reddened in spots, distant ; spores ellipsoid, 8- 

 10 X4-5|«.- Tbe name refers to the reddening of the whole plant. 



On the ground in woods, often in fairy rings, late summer and autumn ; edible. 



Hygrophorus coccineus Scarlet Watercap 



Cap small, 2-5 cm. wide, bright red, paler wdth age, sticky, smooth, convex 

 to plane; stem short, 4-5 cm. by 1 cm., red above, yellow below, smooth, hollow; 

 gills decurrent by a tooth, yellowish, reddish at base, connected by veins, distant ; 

 spores ellipsoid, 6-8 X 4-S/i. The name refers to the scarlet cap. 



Usually in groups in woodland and grassland, in Summer and autumn ; excellent. 



Figure 23. Hygrophorus eburxeus 



