A. mu´cida Schrad.—mucidus, slimy. Pileus commonly shining white, thin, almost transparent, hemispherical then expanded, obtuse, more or less radiato-wrinkled, smeared over with a thick tenacious gluten; margin striate when thinner. Stem 1½-3 in. long, 1–2 lines thick at the apex, thickened at the base, stuffed, thin, rigid, curved ascending, smooth, white, but sooty scaly at the base when most perfectly developed. Ring inserted at the apex of the stem, bent downward and glued close to the stem, furrowed, the white border again erect, with a swollen and entire margin, which sometimes becomes dingy brown. Gills rounded behind, obtuse, adhering to the stem and striato-decurrent, distant, broad, lax, mucid, always shining white.
Very variable in stature, from 1 in. (when of this size the stem is almost equal) to as much as 6 in. broad. The color of the pileus varies gray, fuliginous, olivaceous. The gills sometimes become yellow, but only from disease. Sometimes solitary, sometimes a few are joined in a cespitose manner at the base. Stevenson.
Spores elliptical, 15–16×8–9µ Massee; 17×14µ W.G.S.
North Carolina, Schweinitz, Curtis; Pennsylvania, Schweinitz; Maryland, Miss Banning.
West Virginia mountains, 1882, Haddonfield, N.J., 1891–94, on beech trees and roots. McIlvaine.
Commonly considered esculent in Europe.
Dirt adheres so tenaciously to it that it is difficult to clean. This, however, occurs only when the fungus grows from roots and pushes its way up through covering earth. When growing from trees it is attractive and of good quality.
Should be chopped fine and well cooked.
TRICHOLO´MA Fr.
Gr.—a hair, a fringe.