SUBSECTlOh HYGROCYB1 US 



nia: Kauffman, Mt. Gretna, Sept. 15 L924, hennessee: Hesler i 

 4434,4439,8273,9527,9568, 10779. L0843, L0917, L1475, 11606 L2i 

 12402, L2834, 13014, L3839, L8000, 19686, 21345, 24425, 24510; Sharp 



4378, 8168, 18617; Sharp & Hesler 4377, 9152, L2739; Smith 9937 

 10299. texas: Thiers 1601. utah: McKnighl II"). Virginia: Kauffman, 

 Potomac, Aug. 7. L919. w \sin\(.io\: Brown, Quinault, Oct. 31, L931; 

 Conners & Smith 26385; [mshaug 96 1. 210"); Kauffman, Lake ( lushman, 

 Oct. 20, 1915; Smith 3066, 3286, W78, L4091, 175.11. L7731, 17996, 

 18022, 40231, 40768, 40939. can u>a: ( Nova Scotia ) Smith 659a; Weh 

 meyer 659; (Ontario) Kellev 857, 1076; (Quebec) Bigelow 5169, 

 5358, 5725; Ross & Grover F7457. France: Josserand, 1937. japan: 

 Hongo Herb. 549. Netherlands: Geesteranus 13136. Denmark: |. P. 

 Jensen (Hesler 23936). bexgium: Heinemann 2049. 



Observations — The viscidity of the pileus is caused by a very thin 

 layer of gelatinous hyphae. This layer may be washed away by heavy 

 rains by the time the specimens reach maturity, and the pilei then 

 seem to be merelv moist or slightly lubricous. In very dry weather, if 

 there is not enough moisture to cause the hyphae of the pellicle to 

 gelatinize appreciably, the pileus may seem lubricous or even dry. 

 Thus in yery wet weather or very dry weather, one may find it diffi- 

 cult to decide whether or not the pileus is viscid. 



In North America we have certain forms which have 4-spored 

 basidia regularly and their spores measure 9-12(14) X .5-7 ll. In other 

 4-spored forms the spores measure 7-10 X 4-6 /x. In addition we have 

 many aberrant forms. Some of these are constantly 2-spored with 

 spores 9-12 X 5-6 fx, and some occur with 1-, 2-, or 3-spored basidia all 

 on the same pileus. In the latter both the size and shape of the spores 

 are extremely variable. Spores 15 X 8 /x have been seen on some of 

 these. 



One of the commonest forms encountered is 2-spored, and has 

 a pileus 1.5—3 cm high and a short (3-5 cm) narrow stipe. During the 

 season of 1940 in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, the large 4-spored form 

 was very common. The first of these is the one J. Lange ( 1935-40) con- 

 siders typical H. conicus, whereas the second he has named //. pseu- 

 doconicus. H. nigrescens, which is said to be white when young, we 

 have not collected. Since the 2-spored character has been shown to be 

 of questionable value as a distinction at the species level, and since the 

 color differences Lange mentioned do not hold true for American ma- 

 terial, we classify all our collections under the older name. Metrod 

 (1941) concludes that //. nigrescens and //. conicus cannot be sepa- 

 rated on a basis of 2- and 4-spored basidia. Orton (1960) has recently 

 described H. conicoides, a new species from England, which is near 

 H. conicus, but in it the lamellae are soon flushed rose red or scarlet 



