14b 
THE LARGER FUNGI 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
Single or sulteaespito.se. 
Drying opaque whitish, with anastomosing striae. 
Stem white. Spores large, 15 x 8 M 225. PstlthyreUa 
Densely gregarious and caespitose. subprona. 
Pallid or yellowish becoming greyish brown. 
ribbed, with a disc. Stem white. Spores bronzy- 
brown microscopically, r x 4 to 5 y 226. Pi', disseminata. 
225. Psathyrella subprona del. <L.. pro-nun, bending downwards; subpronus. 
here close to the species Pa. promt Fr.) . — Pileus § to lin. 1 1 to 2.5 cm. j. t to 
din. (1 to 1.2 cm.) high, conico-campanulate with an acute apex, broadly conical, 
or sometimes conico-convex or almost campanulate, usually rather gibbous, 
expanding a little, with tine anastomosing striae or slightly venosely rugulose. 
hygrophanous, darker than Olive Brown (XL.), drying near Cartridge Buff (XXX. ,. 
Gills ascending (apparently sometimes almost triangular), aduate, moderately 
close, narrow. Fuscous (xlvi. i or greyish fuscous, edges pale. Stem 1 to 2iu. 
(2.5 to 5 cm.), slender, equal, slightly mealy, then polished, slightly hollow, 
somewhat brittle, white. Flesh thin, pallid, that of the stem different in texture 
from the llesh of the pileus. Spores elongated, rather narrow, very dark fuscous 
or bronze approaching blackish, 11.5 to 15 x 6 to S y. Cystidia not seen. Single 
or gregarious, on the ground, amongst grass or sometimes attached to buried 
grass stems or sticks, or on rich manured soil. South Australia — Encounter Bay, 
Beaumont. Fullarton. Horroeks Pass near Wilmington, Port Lincoln, Mount 
Gauthier. May to September. 
226. Psathyrella disseminata iPers.) Fr. i L., disxcminatux, spread abroad). — 
Pileus up to Jin. (1.2 cm.), membranaceous, conico-eampauulate, oval or convex, 
ribbed near the apex which is flattened and pallid white, the rest of the pileus 
Figure 27. — Psatht/iella dimtpm.hiatn (Pers.) Fr. (No. 226). 
National Park. 
at first pallid or vellowish becoming greyish brown, covered with a few shining 
scurfy particles. Gills adnate, moderately distant, linear, whitish then dark 
brown with a purplish tint. 8tem lin. (2.5 cm.) or a little more, slender, silky 
shining, pure white, hollow. Spore mass a dark neutral tint, not pure black; 
spores microscopically a dark bronzy-brown, one end trunate, 5.5 to 7 to (occa- 
sionally) 10.7 x 8.5 to 5.3 ii. Densely gregarious or caespitose on the ground 
often near old stumps. South Australia — At the base of Eitpahjptus rostmtu 
Sc-lil., Botanic Gardens, Adelaide; Waterfall Gully; National Park: Encounter 
Bay; Caroline and Blanche Forests (S.E.). New South Wales. Britain, ete. 
April to June. (Figure 27.) 
This species is readily recognised by its densely crowded habit on the ground, 
the colour of the pilei and gills and the fragile stems. It is only likely to be 
mistaken for the larger Coprinvs micaceus, also densely caespitose and always 
found near decaying posts, stumps, etc. 
