34 CIRCULAR 14 3, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The cap is one-half to 1 inch broad; the stem is 1 to 2 inches long and 

 about 2 lines thick. 



This attractive little fungus appears principally in the fall, but it may occur 

 sparingly during the summer. It grows singly or clustered on rotten stumps 

 or logs. 



PHOLIOTA SQUARROSA. SCALY PHOLIOTA. (EDIBLE) 



In this species the cap is yellowish brown, clothed with dark persistent 

 scales, dry, convex, then flattened, sometimes obtusely umbonate or gibbous ; 

 the flesh is light yellow ; the gills are crowded, narrow, adnate with a decur- 

 rent tooth, pale olive, then rust colored ; the stem is stuffed, yellowish brown, 

 with dense dark recurved scales below the ring, much thinner at base than 

 apex ; ring near the apex generally floccose, seldom membranaceous and entire. 



The cap is 2 to 5 inches broad ; the stem is 3 to 6 inches long. 



This species occurs in many localities from the last of June until frost, 

 growing on trunks of trees and stumps. It is conspicuous because of the 

 large clusters and prominent scales on both cap and stem. The fungus is 

 good when young, raw or cooked, and by some authorities is considered 

 excellent. 



CORTINARIUS 



The genus Cortinarius is easily recognized when young among 

 the ocher-spored agarics by the powdery gills and by the cobwebby 

 veil, which is separable from the cuticle of the cap. In mature 

 plants the remains of the veil may often be observed adhering to 

 the margin of the cap and forming a silky zone on the stem. Corti- 

 narius contains many forms which are difficult of specific determina- 

 tion. Many species are edible, some indifferent or unpleasant, and 

 others positively injurious. The best advice to the amateur is to 

 abstain from eating species of this genus. The colors are generally 

 conspicuous and often very beautiful. Most of the species occur 

 in the autumn. 



CORTIXARITTS CINXAMOMEUS. (EDIBLE) 



In this species the cap is rather thin, conic campanulate, when expanded 

 almost plane, but sometimes unbonate, yellow to bright cinnamon colored, with 

 perhaps red stains, smooth, silky from innate, yellowish fibrils, sometimes con- 

 centric rows of scales near the margin ; the flesh is yellowish ; the gills are 

 yellow, tawny, or red, adnate, slightly sinuate and decurrent by a tooth, 

 crowded, thin, broad ; the stem is equal, stuffed then hollow, yellowish, fibrillose. 



The cap is 1 to 2y 2 inches broad ; the stem is 2 to 4 inches long and 3 to 4 

 lines thick. 



This is a very common and widely distributed species, particularly abundant 

 in mossy coniferous woods from summer until fall. The color of the gills is 

 an extremely variable character, ranging from brown or cinnamon to blood 

 red. A form possessing gills of the latter color is known as Cortinarius cin- 

 namomeus var. semisanguineus. This species and variety are edible and con- 

 sidered extremely good, but great care should be exercised in determining the 

 species. 



CORTINARIUS LILACINUS. (EDIBLE) 

 (Fig. 32) 



In this species the cap is firm, hemispherical, then convex, minutely silky, 

 lilac colored; the gills are close, violaceous changing to cinnamon; the stem 

 is solid, stout, distinctly bulbous, silky fibrillose, whitish with a lilac tinge. 



The cap is 2 to 3 inches broad ; the stem is 2 to 4 inches long. 



This is a comparatively rare but very beautiful mushroom and an excellent 

 edible species. It is to be found in mossy or swampy places. 



NAUCORIA 



Another genus belonging to the ocher-spored agarics is Xaucoria. 

 In this genus the volva and veil are both absent, the cap is more or 

 less fleshy, at first conical or convex with involute margin, and the 

 gills are free or adnate but never decurrent. 



