Plant subcespitose, 2–3 in. high. Pileus 8–16 lines broad. Stem 1 line thick.
Old logs in woods. Greig. September.
The change of color from the moist to the dry state is very marked. This species resembles Agaricus autumnalis, in which the annulus is fugacious and the spores are longer. The edge of the gills in both is white-flocculose. Peck, 25th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Two forms of this species are found. One has a scattered form of growth, the other found on decaying wood of birch is cespitose. The species is allied to P. marginata, from which it is readily distinguished by its viscid pileus. Peck, Rep. 44.
Var. discolor minor Pk. Small. Pileus 6–10 lines broad, chestnut color when young or moist. Stem about 1 line thick, at first clothed with whitish fibrils.
Among mosses about or on the base of stumps. September. Peck, Rep. 46.
West Virginia. Eagle’s Mere, Mt. Gretna, Pa. August to frost. On decaying wood. McIlvaine.
This little Pholiota is abundant where it does grow. In the West Virginia forests I have seen logs with many tufts of it upon each. The caps are fairly good.
