In the genus Tricholoma the volva and annulus are both wanting, the spores are white, and the gills are attached to the stem, but are more or less strongly notched or sinuate at the stem. Sometimes the notch is very slight. The stem is fleshy-fibrous, attached to the center of the pileus, and is usually short and stout. In some specimens when young there is a slight cobwebby veil which very soon disappears. The genus is a very large one. Some species are said to be poisonous and a few are known to be edible. Peck, 44th Report, N. Y. State Mus., pp. 38-64, describes 46 species.

Tricholoma persona tum Fr. Edible. - This plant occurs during the autumn and persists up to the winter months. It grows on the ground in open places and in woods. The stem is short, usually 3-7 cm. long x 1-2 cm. in thickness, and the cap is from 5-10 cm. or more broad. The entire plant often has a lilac or purple tint.

The pileus is convex, expanded, moist, smooth, grayish to brownish tinged with lilac or purple, especially when young, fading out in age. When young the pileus is sometimes adorned with white mealy particles, and when old the margin may be more or less upturned and wavy. The gills are crowded, rounded next the stem, and nearly free but close to the stem, violet or lilac when young, changing to dull reddish brown when old. The spores when caught in mass are dull pink or salmon color. They measure 7-9 µ long. The stem is solid, fibrous, smooth, deep lilac when young and retaining the lilac color longer than the pileus. Sometimes the base is bulbous as in Fig. 87.

This plant is regarded by all writers as one of the best of the edible fungi. Sometimes the pileus is water soaked and then the flavor is not so fine. The position of the plant is regarded as doubtful by some because of the more or less russety pink color of the spores when seen in mass, and the ease with which the gills separate from the pileus, characters which show its relationship to the genus Paxillus.

Figure 88

Tricholoma personatum. Section (natural size).

Tricholoma sejunctum Sowerb. Edible. - This plant occurs on the ground in rather open woods during late summer and in the autumn. It is 8-12 cm. high, the cap 5-8 cm. broad, and the stem 10-15 mm. in thickness.

Figure 89 - Tricholoma sejunctum. Cap light yellow, streaked with dark threads on the surface, viscid. Stem and gills white (natural size, often larger). Copyright.

The pileus is convex to expanded, umbonate, viscid when moist, light yellow in color and streaked with dark threads in the surface. The flesh is white, and very fragile, differing in this respect from T. equestre, which it resembles in general form. The gills are broad, rather distant, broadly notched near the stem, and easily separating from the stem. The stem is solid, smooth and shining white. Figure 89 is from plants collected at Ithaca. It is said to be edible.

Plate 28, Figure 90

Clitocybe Candida. Entirely white (natural size). Copyright.

Plate 29, Figure 91

Clitocybe Candida. Under view of nearly lateral stemmed individual (natural size).

Copyright.