Spores subhyaline 4–6×3–4µ K. Elliptical, pale-yellowish, 5×2.5–3µ Massee. Elliptical 5–6×4µ Peck.
Found near Philadelphia, gregarious in old woods. September. In New Jersey in pine woods on stumps and on the ground, probably growing from roots. McIlvaine.
Grows singly or cespitose, sometimes in large tufts, when the pileus is frequently irregular from compression. In wet weather the pileus is moist and sometimes obscurely mottled with dark spots. Occasionally it has an unpleasant dirt-like odor. Peck.
Cordier considers this species suspicious and Paulet inutile on account of its bad taste.
The flesh differs from most Paxilli in being very fine grained and cooked is of the consistency of a marshmallow. The taste is marked but pleasant.
Series IV. PORPHYRO´SPORÆ (Pratelli). Gr—purple.
Spores typically black-purple or brownish-purple, more rarely dusky brown. (It is to be observed that the spores vary in color according to the color of the ground on which they are deposited.) There are sterile forms with the gills persistently white (A. obturatus, A. udus). Those species are more deceptive in which the gills continue for a long time white, and even begin to decay before they are discolored by the spores; these may be easily mistaken for Leucospori. Fries.
Pratelli is the name given by the early authors to this series, based upon the spore color; Porphyrosporæ is the name now used. The species within the group are closely allied to those having black spores without a tinge of purple or violet (Melanosporæ), but in none of the species do the gills deliquesce as in Coprinus, neither are there resupinate or lateral stemmed species.
There is a present tendency to do away with this series and include all dark-spored species in the Melanosporæ. Professor Atkinson and Bertha Stoneman, in their “Provisional Key to the Genera of Hymenomycetes,” omit the series and give “Melanosporæ, Gill and Butz (Pratellæ and Coprinariæ in broadest sense). Spores dark brown, purplish-brown or black.”