64 SECTION CAMAROPHYLLOPSIS 



12 



Hygrophorus rainierensis, sp. nov. 



Illustration: 

 Fig. 10a. 



Pileus 1-3 cm lotus, convexus demum planus, subpurpureus de- 

 mum cinereus, viscidus, hygrophanus; odor proprius; lamellae decur- 

 rentes, pallido-purpureo-cineraceae demum ochreae, confertae vel 

 subdistantes, angustae; stipes 3-4 cm longus, 3-5 mm crassus, siccus, 

 albidus; sporae 5-6.5(7) X (3.5)4-5.5 fx, ellipsoideae vel subglobosae. 

 Specimen typicum in Herb. Univ. Mich.; ledum juxta Lower Tahoma 

 Creek, Mt. Rainier National Park, Wash., Sept. 27, 1955, A. H. Smith 

 47958. 



Pileus 1-3 cm broad, obtuse with a decurved margin, expanding to 

 plane with a slightly depressed disc or merely convex, sometimes with 

 a low obtuse umbo, dark purple drab when moist, fading to cinereous 

 on margin and a tinge of cinnamon buff on disc, surface glabrous, 

 viscid, hygrophanous. Context with a strong odor of freshly husked 

 green corn, taste mild. 



Lamellae decurrent, pale purplish drab young, becoming dingy 

 buff in age or on drying, close to subdistant, narrow. 



Stipe 3-4 cm long, 3-5 mm thick, equal or nearly so, surface dry, 

 dull white over all and unchanging when bruised, when dried pale 

 tan, solid. 



Spores 5-6.5(7) X (3.5)4-5.5 \x, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, 

 rarely globose, thin-walled, hyaline in KOH, yellowish-hyaline in 

 Melzer's reagent. Basidia 4-spored 38-55 X 6-8 \x (occasionally 

 2-spored). Pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia none. Gill trama intri- 

 cately interwoven, hyphae 4—7 \x broad, hyaline to dingy in KOH, 

 yellowish-hyaline in Melzer's reagent (no dark granules present). 

 Cuticle a zone of gelatinous hyphae 1.5-2.5 \x broad, the zone 

 60-100 fx thick, originating as a trichodermium but the hyphae greatly 

 elongating and becoming appressed, hyaline in KOH and Melzer's 

 reagent. Pileus trama of subparallel, radially disposed hyphae, 4-10 n 

 broad. Clamp connections present, usually small. 



Habit, Habitat, and Distribution — Scattered in mixed conifer- 

 hardwood forests, Washington and Michigan, September to October. 



Material Studied — Washington: Bigelow 16 (Smith 47958, type, 

 from Lower Tahoma Creek, Mt. Rainier National Park, Sept. 27, 1955), 

 Stuntz (Smith 31393). Michigan: Smith 50850. 



Observations — This species can be easily distinguished in the 

 field by the odor of fresh green corn. H. pallidus and H. subviolaceus, 



