GILL FUNGI 17 



ARMILLAItIA 



Thi.' flesh of the cap and stem is uniform and continuous. The stem has a 

 fixetl ring, wliich is now and tlien inconspicuous, especially in age. The gills arc 

 usually attached and white or whitish. x\ r m i 1 1 a r i a differs from L e ]) i t a 

 and A m a n i ta in the continuity of stem and cap, and from Am a n i t a in the 

 ahsence of the volva. All the species are edihle. The name refers to the hracelet- 

 like ring. 



Armillaria mellea Honey Cap 



Pla IE I : 1 



C ap large, 3-15 cm. wide, usually honey-colored, but varying through all shades 

 of yellow to brown, typically marked with small tufts of brownish or blackish hairs, 

 especially toward the center, though sometimes woolly or entirely smooth, margin 

 often striate, convex to expanded; stem tall, stout, 3-15 cm. by 6-21) mm., whitisli, 

 yellowish, or brownish, especially below the ring, smooth or scaly, hollow or stuffed, 

 ring usually thickish and conspicuous, but sometimes thin or e^'en lacking; gills 

 touching broadly or rumiing down the stem, whitish or yellowish; s [) o r e s elliptic 

 or rounded, 7-10/j.. The name refers to the honey-like color. 



(_)ne of tlie commonest and most ^•ariable of the mushrooms ; it occurs most 

 frequently at the base of stumps, but grows also on the ground and on decaying 

 stumps and logs. It is edible, l)ut the fla\'or and texture are only fair. 'I'his sjjecies 

 is often ]jarasitic on the roots of trees, especially s]jruces, pines, etc., breaking down 

 the roots and sometimes resulting in the death of the tree. 



TKU'IKILOMA 



This genus is distinguished from Armillaria by the absence of a ring, 

 and from Clitocybe liy sinuate or adnate gills instead of decurrent ones. It is 

 most easily confused with C o 1 1 v b i a, from which it differs in the usually more 

 or less stout fleshy stem, of the same substance as the cap. The species of this genus 

 are edible with a few exceptions, notably tliose with unpleasant smell. Tlie name 

 means "hair-fringe," but has slight application. 



Key to the Species 



1. ( )dor strong and unpleasant 



a. Cap brownish ; flesh reddish when liruised T . sapuiiacciiin 



b. Cap sulphur-yellow ; flesh yellowish, unchanging 7'. siil phiirciint 



2. ( )dor m(.)re or less pleasant 



a. Cap sticky when moist ; light yellow, with dark threads T. scjnuctiiiii 

 1). Cap not sticky, scaly or smooth 

 ( 1 ) Cap scaly or silky-hairy 



(a) Cap white, 10-14 cm. wide T. graiidi- 



(b) Cap brown to mouse-colored, 2-8 cm. wide T. tcrrciiiu 



