Abortivus means abortive or imperfectly developed; so called from its many irregular and undeveloped forms.
The pileus is fleshy, firm, convex, or nearly plane, regular or irregular, dry, clothed with a minute silky tomentum, becoming smoother with age, gray or grayish-brown, flesh white, taste and odor subfarinaceous.
The gills are slightly or deeply decurrent, at first whitish or pale gray, then flesh-colored. Spores irregular, 7.5–10×6.5µ.
The stem is nearly equal, solid, minutely flocculose, sometimes fibrous, striate, paler than the pileus. Peck, 42d Report N. Y.
There are often three forms of this plant; a perfect form, an imperfect form, and an abortive form as will be seen in Figure 203. The abortive forms seem to be more common, especially in this locality. They will be taken at first to be some form of puff-ball. They are found in open woods and in ravines. I found some very fine specimens under beech trees on Cemetery Hill. They are, however, widely distributed over the state and the United States. The specimens in Figure 203 were collected near Ashville and photographed by Prof. Beardslee.
Figure 203.—Clitopilus abortivus. Abortive forms. Edible.
Clitopilus subvilis. Pk.
The Silky-Capped Clitopilus. Edible.