Gross when old. Young specimens of medium quality and flavor.
T. columbet´ta Fr.—columba, a pigeon. (Plate [XVIII], fig. 5, p. 60.) Pileus convex, then nearly plane, fleshy, obtuse, rigid, somewhat flexuous, dry, at first bare, then silky-fibrillose, becoming even or scaly, white, the margin at first involute, more or less tomentose. Flesh white, taste mild. Gills close, emarginate, thin, white. Stem stout, solid, unequal, nearly bare, white. Spores 7–8×4.5µ.
The species is very variable and the following varieties have been described:
Var. A. Pileus nearly always repand or lobed, at first bare, even, at length cracked-scaly, often reddish spotted, the margin when young inflexed, tomentose. Stem obese, even, unequal, swollen, an inch thick. The typical form.
Birch wood among mosses.
Var. B. Pileus subflexuous, silky-fibrillose, at length scaly, sometimes dingy-brown spotted, the margin scarcely tomentose. Stem longer, equal or slightly narrowed at the base.
Bushy places. Intermediate between A and C.
Var. C. Pileus regular, flattened, evidently fibrillose, sometimes spotted with blue, four inches broad. Stem equal, cylindrical, fibrillose-striate, four inches long.
Beech woods. A showy variety so diverse from variety A that it might be regarded as a distinct species, did not variety B connect them, and so much resemble both that it might with equal propriety be referred to either.
Pileus 2–4 in. broad. Stem 1–4 in. long, 3–12 lines thick.