Clitopilus orcella.
Two-thirds natural size.
C. Orcel´la Bull.—Pileus fleshy, soft, plane or slightly depressed, often irregular, even when young, slightly silky, somewhat viscid when moist, white or yellowish-white. Flesh white, taste and odor farinaceous. Gills deeply decurrent, close, whitish then flesh-colored. Stem short, solid, flocculose, often eccentric, thickened above, white. Spores elliptical, 9–10×5µ.
Generally a little smaller than the preceding species, softer and more irregular, but so closely allied that by some it is considered a mere variety of it. It is said to be edible and of delicate flavor. It occurs in wet weather in pastures and open places. Peck, 42d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Grows in oak woods, Angora, West Philadelphia; Mt. Gretna, Pa.
Qualities same as C. prunulus. Delicious.
C. pascuen´sis Pk.—pasture. Pileus fleshy, compact, centrally depressed, glabrous, reddish or pale yellowish, the cuticle of the disk cracking into minute areas. Gills rather narrow, close, decurrent, whitish, becoming flesh-colored. Stem short, equal or tapering downward, solid, glabrous, colored like the pileus. Spores subelliptical, pale incarnate, 7.5–10×5–6µ.
Pileus 2–3 in. broad. Stem 8–18 lines long, 4–6 lines thick.
Pastures. Saratoga county.
The species is related to C. prunulus from which it is distinct by its shorter, paler spores, its glabrous pileus cracked in areas on the disk and tinged with red or yellowish and by its paler gills. From C. pseudo-orcella it differs in its glabrous pileus with no silky luster and in its closer gills. Its odor is obsolete but it has a farinaceous flavor. It is probably esculent, but has not been found in sufficient quantity to afford a test of qualities. Peck, 42d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.