28 CIRCULAR 14 3, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



adnate, or decurrent, thick with acute edge, watery, and of waxy- 

 consistency. The latter characteristic may be easily demonstrated 

 by rubbing a bit of the gills between the fingers. Hygrophorus is 

 closely related to Cantharellus, the gills of which are blunt and 

 forked but never waxy. 



HYGROPHORUS CHRYSODON. GOLDEN-TOOTH HYGROPHORUS. (EDIBLE) 



In this species the cap is fleshy, convex, then expanded, margin involute when 

 young, viscid, shining when dry, white, with scattered golden squamules; the 

 gills are white, distant, decurrent ; the stem stuffed, soft, nearly equal, white, 

 with minute yellow squamules, more numerous toward the apex, where they are 

 often arranged in the form of a ring. 



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



This plant is easily recognized on account of the golden granules on the cap 

 and stem. It grows on the ground in woods or open situations in the late 

 summer and fall, but is not of very common occurrence. 



HYGROPHORUS COCCINEUS. SCARLET HYGROPHORUS 



In this species the cap is convexo-plane, obtuse, hygrophanous, smooth, scarlet, 

 becoming yellowish in age. fragile, generally unequal; the gills are adnate, 

 decurrent with a tooth, distant, connected by veins, light yellow in the middle, 

 purplish at the base when mature ; the stem is hollow, then compressed, base 

 always yellow, scarlet upward. 



The cap is 1 to 2 inches broad ; the stem is about 2 inches long. 



This species occurs in moist places and on mossy banks. 



HYGROPHORUS CONICUS. CONIC HYGROPHORUS. ( POISONOUS) 



In this species the cap is strikingly conical, yellow, orange, scarlet, margin 

 often lobecl ; the gills are free or adnate, rather loose and broad, yellow ; the 

 stem is equal, hollow, fibrous striate, yellow or scarlet. 



The cap is one-half to 1 inch broad ; the stem is 3 to 4 inches long. 



This is a very attractive little fungus on account of its bright color and 

 symmetrical conical cap. A very distinctive character is the blackening of the 

 fungus in drying. It occurs on the ground in rich woods and in damp places 

 near streams from August to September or later. 



HYGROPHORUS HYPOTHEJUS. (EDIBLE) 



In this species the cap is convex, somewhat depressed, at first covered with 

 an olivaceous slime, after its disappearance ash colored, pale yellow, orange, or 

 often rufescent ; the flesh is thin, white, becoming light yellow ; the gills are 

 decurrent, distant, whitish or pallid, later yellow or flesh-colored; the stem is 

 equal, viscid, stuffed, becoming hollow, paler than the cap. 



The cap is 1% inches broad ; the stem is 2 or more inches long. 



This is an interesting little species, occurring late in the fall in pine woods 

 after most of the mushrooms have disappeared. The partial veil is floccose, 

 but early fugacious, and is of such a transitory character that it is of very little 

 value to the amateur in identifying the species. It is edible, though not especially 

 adapted to cooking, but when dried it is nutty and fairly palatable. 



MARASMIUS 



In the genus Marasmius the plants are dry, thin, tough, and 

 membranaceous. They are characterized by their habit of shriveling 

 and drying up in dry weather and reviving in wet weather. The 

 gills are dry, almost membranaceous, often narrow, distant, and 

 connected by veins. The stem is cartilaginous or horny and continu- 

 ous with the cap. 



Marasmius is closely related to Collybia, Lentinus, and Panus. 

 Certain species have been described as belonging to Collybia and are 



