The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise / Its Habitat and its Time of Growth

by Miron Elisha Hard

Figure 113.—Marasmius ramealis. Natural size.

Ramealis means a branch or stick; so called because the plant is found growing on sticks, in open woods.

The pileus is very small, somewhat fleshy, plane or a trifle depressed, obtuse, not striate, slightly rugulose, opaque.

The gills are attached to the stem, somewhat distant, narrow, white.

The stem is about one inch long, stuffed, mealy, white, inclined to be rufescent at the base.

The spores are elliptical, 4×2µ.

This is a very pretty plant, but easily overlooked. It is found on oak and beech branches, frequently in large groups. Figure 113 illustrates their mode of growth and will assist the collector in identifying the species. Not poisonous, but too small to gather. Found from July to October. The specimens in Figure 113 were found in Haynes' Hollow near Chillicothe and photographed by Dr. Kellerman.

Marasmius saccharinus. Batsch.

Granular Marasmius. Edible.