May 1905] The Rosy Spored Agarics or Rhodosporae 
109 
THE ROSY SPORED AGARICS OR RHODOSPORAE. 1 
H. C. BEARDSLEE. 
The Rosy Spored Agarics form an interesting group and one 
so favorable for study that it is proposed to give in successive 
Numbers of this Journal an outline of the group which shall help 
the beginner to recognize the common species. Care will be 
taken to point out the features by which the different groups 
can be recognized and figures of some of the more conspicuous 
and interesting species of each group will be given. The rarer 
species and those which are not well understood will not be con¬ 
sidered. 
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE RHODOSPORAE. 
When a basket of fresh specimens has been collected, spore 
prints should first be secured by removing the caps from selected 
specimens and placing them on white paper. In a few hours, if 
the specimens collected are in suitable condition spores will have 
fallen in sufficient quantity so that the spore-colors will be plainly 
shown. All the specimens whose spores have a distinct red or 
flesh color may then be selected out. These belong to the Rosy 
Spored Agarics. After a little practice many of this group can 
be recognized at first sight. The spores are often formed in pro¬ 
fusion and give a pink tint to the gills, and often collect in masses 
on the gill and stem so that their color is readily seen. 
THE GENUS CLITOPILUS. 
This genus has rosy spores and may be distinguished from 
other members of the group by its solid stem and its decurrent 
gills. 
KEY TO THE COMMON SPECIES OF CLITOPILUS. 
The four common species may be distinguished by the fol¬ 
lowing key: 
Pileus white.. I. 
Pileus gray to brownish gray. 2. 
i. Pileus firm, dry, with a delicate white bloom. . . .C. prunulus. 
1. Pileus soft, slightly viscid. C. orcella. 
2. Pileus thick, fleshy. C. abortivus. 
2 . Pileus thin, spores pale flesh color. C. noveboracensis. 
1 This article was prepared for the Mycological Bulletin; the editor 
asked permission to publish it in the Journal with which request Pro¬ 
fessor Beardslee kindly complied. 
