Tricholoma decorosum.
Two-thirds natural size.
T. decoro´sum Pk.—decorus, decorous. Pileus firm, at first hemispherical, then convex or nearly plane, adorned with numerous brownish sub-squarrose tomentose scales, dull ochraceous or tawny. Flesh white. Gills close, rounded and slightly emarginate behind, the edge slightly scalloped. Stem solid, equal or slightly tapering upward, white and smooth at the top, elsewhere tomentose-scaly and colored like the pileus. Spores broadly elliptical, 5×4µ.
Pileus 1–2 in. broad. Stem 2–4 in. long, 2–4 lines thick.
Decaying trunks of trees. Catskill mountains and Alleghany county. September and October.
A rare but beautiful species. It is often cespitose. It departs from the character of the genus in growing on decaying wood. Peck, 44th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Tricholoma decorosum is not rare in Pennsylvania. I have found it at Angora, Philadelphia and in Chester county, Pa., growing in clusters and singly. At first sight one might take it for one of the many forms of Armillaria, but even cursory examination shows the difference.
It is of good consistency and flavor, having a decided mushroom taste.
T. flaves´cens Pk.—pale yellow. Pileus convex, firm, often irregular, dry, slightly silky becoming bare, sometimes cracking into minute scales on the disk, whitish or pale yellow. Flesh whitish or yellowish. Gills close, white or pale-yellow, emarginate, floccose on the edge. Stems firm, solid, often unequal, central or sometimes eccentric, single or cespitose, colored like the pileus. Spores subglobose, 5µ in diameter.
Pileus 2–3 in. broad. Stem 1–2.5 in. long, 4–6 lines thick.