Clitopilus. Fr.
Clitopilus is from clitos, a declivity; pilos, a cap. This genus has neither volva nor ring. It is often more or less eccentric, margin at first involute; stem fleshy, diffused upward into the pileus; the gills are white at first, then pink or salmon-color as the plant matures and the spores begin to fall; decurrent, never notched. The pileus is more or less depressed, darker in the center. The spores are salmon-color, in some cases rather pale, smooth or warted. Clitopilus is closely related to Clitocybe, the latter having white gills, the former pink. It differs from Entoloma just as Clitocybe differs from Tricholoma. It can always be distinguished from Eccilia because the stem is never cartilaginous at the surface. It differs from the genus, Flammula, mainly in the color of the spores.
Clitopilus prunulus. Scop.
The Plum Clitopilus. Edible.
Figure 200.—Clitopilus prunulus.
Prunulus means a small plum; so called from the white bloom covering the plant.
The pileus is two to four inches broad, fleshy, firm; at first convex, then expanded, at length becoming slightly depressed, often eccentric, as will be seen in Figure 200; whitish, often covered with a frost-like bloom, margin often wavy, bending backward.
The gills are strongly decurrent, comparatively few of full length, white, then flesh-color.