REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANI8T 



245 



inferior to the Shaggy coprinus, and it certainly is harmless, for 

 it has been eaten repeatedly by various persons and always with- 

 out ill results. It was published as edible in the Twenty seventh 

 Report. 



Ochrosporae. 



Members of this section may be known by the ochraceous hues 

 of their spores. The color may vary somewhat, being ochraceous, 

 rusty-ochraceous or brownish-ochraceous in different species. The 

 recorded edible species occur in three genera, Pholiota, Cortina- 

 rius and Paxillus. No species of the first genus has been proved 

 by me. 



Cortinarius Fr. 



Of the genus Cortinarius, eight species have been classed as 

 edible by English writers. Four of these occur in our State, and 

 three of them have been tried. The genus contains many species, 

 and it is almost certain that several others will yet be found to 

 be esculent. The genus is distinguished especially by the rusty- 

 ochraceous color of the spores and by the webby character of the 

 veil. In the young plant fine webby filaments stretch from the 

 margin of the cap to the stem, and in many species these are so 

 numerous that they at first conceal the gills, but they mostly 

 disappear with advancing age and leave little or no trace of a 

 c -liar on the stem. In some instances a few filaments adhere to 

 the stem and afford a lodgment for the falling spores, in conse- 

 quence of which a rusty-brown stain or ill defined band of color 

 is seen on the upper part of the stem. 



In young plants the color of the gills is generally quite unlike 

 that of mature ones. In these the gills become dusted by the 

 spores and assume their color, so that there is great uniformity 

 in the color of the gills of mature plants in all the species. It is, 

 therefore, of the utmost importance in identifying species of 

 Cortinarius to know the color of the gills of the young plant. In 

 all the species they are attached to the stem at their inner extrem- 

 ity, and generally they are emarginate Most of the species grow 

 in woods or groves or along their borders, and are especially 

 found in late summer and autumn in hilly or mountainous 

 regions. 



