Figure 208.—Claudopus nidulans. One-half natural size. Cap yellow or buff. Gills orange-yellow.
Nidulans is from nidus, a nest.
The pileus is sessile, sometimes narrowed behind into a short stem-like base, caps often overlapping one another, kidney-shaped, quite downy, the margin involute, hairy toward the margin, a rich yellow or buff color.
The gills are broad, moderately close, orange-yellow.
The spores are even, 3–5×1µ, elongated, somewhat curved, delicate pink in mass. It is quite common in the woods about Chillicothe. A maple log from which I secured the specimen photographed in Figure 208 was completely covered and presented a beautiful sight. It has a rather strong and disagreeable odor. It is edible, but generally tough, and must be chopped very fine and cooked well. It is found in woods, on logs and stumps, from August to November.
Claudopus variabilis. Pers.
Variabilis, variable or changeable. The pileus is white, thin, resupinate—that is the plant seems to be on its back, the gills being turned upward toward the light, quite downy, even, being fastened in the center to a short downy stem.
The gills are at first white, then of the color of the spores.
It is found on decaying limbs and branches in the woods. It is quite common everywhere.