Mrs. E.C. Anthony, Gouverneur, N.Y., June, 1898, writes: “In great abundance on lawn, tumbling over one another in their haste to make their appearance. One of the largest, which did not have half a chance to display its proportions, would probably measure 7 in., perhaps more. When mature they crack across the top, showing the white flesh. The gills are pink, stem white, solid and bulbous. There is no perceptible odor when fresh.”
Indiana, H.I. Miller, edible, good.
Specimens sent to me by Mrs. Anthony, though not fresh, were eaten by me. They very much resembled the common mushroom, but probably, owing to their condition, were not so tender.
I have not found the species. The illustration is after a painting by Mrs. E.C. Anthony.
A. varia´bilis Pk.—variable. (Plate [XCI], fig. 1, p. 332.) Cap 2–6 in. across, ovate, bell-shaped, irregularly convex and wavy, margin incurved but never striate, smooth, minutely fibrillose, with few remaining floccose scales; mature plant pure white, when young distinctly tinged with lilac and here and there with yellow when mature, slightly, broadly umbonate and depressed around umbo, cracks along gills. Flesh thick in center, very thin, even membranaceous toward margin, spongy, unchangeable. Gills free, close, thin, flaccid, ventricose, narrow next stem, but few short, pure-white when young, then dark-umber without purple tinge. Stem equal, tubed, white, silky, smooth above ring, rippled and minutely furfuraceous (scurfy) below, flocculose-furfuraceous when young, densely hairy at base, and occasionally slightly expanding, but not bulbous, densely cespitose with a coarse, white, root-like mycelium. Veil heavy at first, mottled with yellow scales beneath; as cap expands veil becomes thin, like tissue paper, ruptures at both stem and margin leaving torn ring on stem and appendiculate fragments on edge of cap.
Spores shed in great quantity, rich dark umber-brown without shade of purple.
Taste strong like almond. Smell slightly of musk, like the running mycelium of A. campester.
Found at Mt. Gretna, Pa. Charles McIlvaine.
I have never found worms in this species. It is very prolific and its habitat shows that it can be cultivated. Its freedom from worms and lasting carrying quality will make it commercially valuable.
It grew in an old roofless stable from September until after several frosts, in enormous quantity, 25 or 30 pounds in a patch. It differs from A. subrufescens in not having a shade of red about it, in its very distinct light-lilac cap when full grown, and in its snow-white youth. The young gills are pure white as are the caps. The stems sometimes taper upward, but they are usually remarkably equal.