The pileus is campanulate to convex, subumbonate, hygrophanous, bay, then ochre, nearly even, never fully expanded.
The gills are subtriangular, adnate, seceding, broad, ochraceous-cinnamon. Spores 9–10×5µ.
The stem is stuffed, then hollow, colored as the pileus, nearly smooth, ring thin but entire.
They are a late grower and found on well-decayed logs. They are quite common in our woods. Found in November. The plants in Figure 213 were found on the 24th of November, in Haynes' Hollow.
Pholiota mutablis. Schaff.
The Changeable Pholiota. Edible.
Mutablis means changeable, variable. The pileus two to three inches broad, fleshy; deep cinnamon when moist, paler when dry; margin rather thin, transparent; convex, then expanded, sometimes obtusely umbonate, and sometimes slightly depressed; even, quite smooth, flesh whitish and taste mild.
The gills are broad, adnate, slightly decurrent, close, pale umber, then cinnamon-color.
The stem is two to three inches long, slender, stuffed, becoming hollow, smooth above or minutely pulverulent, and pale, below slightly scaly up to the ring, and darker at the base, ring membranaceous, externally scaly. The spores are ellipsoid, 9–11×5–6µ.
I find this specimen growing in a cæspitose manner on decayed wood. It is quite common here late in the season. I found some very large specimens on Thanksgiving day, 1905, in Gallia County, Ohio. It is one of the latest edible plants.