C. atramenta´rius (Bull.) Fr.—atramentum, ink. (Plate [CII], fig. 1, p. 372.) Pileus 1½-4 in. across, ovate, expanding, grayish, lead-color or grayish-brown, with occasionally a few obscure scales on disk, often covered with bloom; margin ribbed, sometimes notched, soft, tender. Gills free, ventricose, up to ½ in. broad, crowded and at first cohering and white with white floccose edges, then becoming black and dissolving into ink. Stem up to 5 in. long, up to ½ in. thick, smooth, whitish, hollow, at first spindle-shaped, then attenuated upward, with more or less distinct ring near base.
Spores subcylindrical, large cystidia numerous, 12×6µ Massee; 9–10×6µ K.; 9×5µ W.G.S.; 8–10µ long Peck.
Indiana, H.I. Miller; Harrisburg, Pa., Dr. J.H. Fager; West Virginia, McIlvaine.
The stem is obscurely banded within, by which it may be recognized with certainty.
It grows singly or in clusters of many individuals on rich ground, whether lawns, gardens, gutter sides, or in woods, but not on dung. I know of a fine cluster growing year after year on a much-decayed pear-stump. Occasionally it appears in the spring months, but is common during the summer and autumn after rains, and from its first appearance it occurs in successive crops until stopped by severe frost. It is common in Europe and over the United States.
The flavor is higher than that of C. comatus. It should be cooked as soon as gathered, and kept in a cool place until needed.
Analysis shows the following:
Two separate, freshly-gathered lots of this species were examined. The one (a) contained six young small specimens weighing 5.5 grams, or .9 gram each; the other (b) contained eight mushrooms weighing 12 grams, or 1.5 grams each. An analysis gave:
| a. | b. | |||
| Water | 92.31 | per cent. | 94.42 | per cent. |
| Total solids | 7.69 | 5.58 | ||
| The dry substance contained: | ||||
| Total nitrogen | 4.68 | 4.77 | ||
| Ether extract | 3.1 | 5.7 | ||
| Crude fiber | 9.3 | ..... | ||
| Ash | 16.8 | 20.1 | ||
| Lafayette B. Mendel in American Journal of Physiology. | ||||
C. fusces´cens (Schaeff.) Fr.—fuscus, dark or swarthy. Pileus 1–1¼ in. across, submembranaceous, ovate, expanded, dull, disk rather fleshy, even or cracked into squamules, grayish-brown, disk reddish. Gills adfixed, blackish-umber. Stem 4–5 in. long, about ¼ in. thick, equal, fragile, hollow, subfibrillose. Ring indistinct or absent, whitish. Massee.