236 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



This mushroom was first described and recorded as edible in 

 the Thirty-sixth Keport. Subsequently Eichon and Kose pub- 

 lished a species found in France to which they gave the name 

 Psalliota duriuscula, the Firm champignon. They speak of their 

 plant as a suspected species with nothing to recommend it, with 

 an unpleasant flavor and with a flesh so hard as to render it indi- 

 gestible. The figure and description of their species indicate 

 that it is not distinct from Kodman's mushroom. But Mr. Hod- 

 man ate of his plant and found it perfectly harmless. It is, there- 

 fore, classed as edible. I have had no opportunity to test its 

 edible qualities, but would have no hesitation in eating it if I 

 could find it in good condition. 



It grows in grassy ground and even in crevices of unused 

 pavements and paved gutters in cities. It appears from May to 

 J uly. I have not found it in autumn. It is rare. 



Agaricus subrufescens Peck. 

 Slightly reddish Mushroom. 



Plate 7. 



Pileus at first deeply hemispherical, becoming convex or broadly 

 expanded, silky fibrillose and minutely or obscurely squamulose, 

 whitish, grayish or dull reddish-brown, usually smooth and darker! 

 . on the disk, flesh white, unchangeable ; lamellse at first white: 

 or whitish, then pinkish, finally blackish-brown; stem ratherj 

 long, oiten somewhat thickened or bulbous at the base, at first! 

 stuffed, then hollow, white ; the annulus flocculose or floccose- 

 squamose on the lower surface ; mycelium whitish, forming sleni 

 der branching root like strings ; spores elliptical, .00024 to .0002£l 

 inch long. 



The Slightly reddish mushroom differs especially from th< 

 Common mushroom in the peculiar deeply hemispherical shapd 

 of the cap of the young plant, in the white or whitish color o: 

 the very young gills, in the at length hollow stem, often some 

 what thickened or bulbous at the base, and in the collar' 

 which has the exterior or lower surface covered with littLI 

 downy flakes or scales. Beside these characters it has other 

 which may aid in supporting its claim to specific distinction. It 

 mycelium seems strongly disposed to form strings which adher 

 to the base of the stem like white branching thread-like root* 

 and the flesh has a flavor like that of almonds. This flavo 



