54 



MINNESOTA MUSHROOMS 



rLI'TEUS 



Closely related to V o 1 v a r i a, and distingTiished from it only by the absence 

 of the volva. In both, cap and stem separate readily and the gills are free. The 

 last feature distinguishes P 1 u t e u s readily from E n t o 1 o m a, which resembles it. 

 Our species are all edible. They are found for the most part on stumps or decaying 

 wood, or in soil rich in woodv material. The name refers to the form of the cap. 



Key to the Species 



Cap large, 5-16 cm. wide, not wrinkled or furrowed P. ccrvinus 



Cap small, 1-5 cm. wide, more or less wrinkled or fur- 

 rowed 

 a. Cap granular or hairy, not striate P. granularis 



h. Cap not granular or hairy, striate - . ■ P. admiralnlis 



Figure ii. Pluteus cervixus 



Pluteus cervinus Fawn Pluteus 



Cap large. 5-16 cm. wide, usually some shade of brown, from grayish or yel- 

 lowish to blackish-brown, more or less fibrous or hairy on the disk, sometimes sticky, 

 conyex or plane; stem 7-15 cm. by Vi-X cm., brownish, smooth or black-hairy, 

 solid; gills free, pink, broad; spores pink, rarely greenish, globoid, 7-8 >( 5-6/t. 

 The name refers to the fawn-colored cap. 



