C. silvat´icus Pk. Pileus membranaceous, with a thin fleshy disk, convex, striate in folds on the margin, dark-brown, the depressed striæ paler. Lamellæ subdistant, narrow, attached to the stem, brownish. Stem fragile, slender, smooth, hollow, white. Spores gibbous-ovate, 12.7µ long.
Plant 2 in. high. Pileus 6–10 lines broad. Stem .5 lines thick. Ground in woods. Greig. September.
The striæ extend about half way up the pileus. Allied to C. plicatilis and C. ephemerus Peck, 24th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Frequent, but not common. On ground in woods, August to October. McIlvaine.
This pretty little fungus is frequently found. I have never been able to get it in quantity, but have often eaten it. Its flavor is musky, rather strong. It is edible, but is not obtainable in sufficient numbers to make it of much food value.
C. ephem´erus Fr. Gr—lasting for a day. Pileus ½-¾ in. across, very thin, ovate, then bell-shaped, finally expanded and splitting, furrowed radiately, at first slightly scurfy, disk elevated, even, reddish. Gills slightly attached, linear, white, then brownish, at length blackish. Stem 1½-2½ in. high, 1 line or more thick, equal, glabrous, pellucid, hollow, whitish. Spores 16–17×9–10µ.
On dunghills, manured ground, etc. To the naked eye appearing almost glabrous, but under a lens seen to be distinctly scurfy. Known from Coprinus plicatilis by the disk of the pileus being prominent and not depressed. Massee.
Common dung and dung heaps. May to October. New York, Peck. 23d Rep.
Of such size and delicate substance as to be of little food value. But it has a strong mushroom flavor which is choice as a flavoring. It appears during the summer months on dung and dung heaps. It must be cooked as soon as gathered.
C. semilana´tus Pk. Pileus submembranaceous, broadly conical, then expanded and strongly revolute, and the margin sometimes split, covered with mealy atoms, finely and obscurely rimose-striate, pale grayish-brown. Lamellæ narrow, close, free. Stem elongated, fragile, hollow, slightly tapering upward, white, the lower half clothed with loose cottony flocci which rub off easily, the upper half smooth or slightly farinaceous. Spores broadly elliptical, 12.7µ long.