TRIBE II. MYXACIUM.
Cortinarius collinitus. Fr.
The Smeared Cortinarius. Edible.
Figure 235.—Cortinarius collinitus. One-half natural size. Caps purplish-brown, also showing veil.
Collinitus means smeared. The pileus is at first hemispherical, convex, then expanded, obtuse; smooth, even, glutinous, shining when dry; purplish when young, later brownish; at first incurved.
The gills are attached to the stem, rather broad, dingy-white or grayish-tan when young, then cinnamon.
The stem is solid, cylindrical, viscid or glutinous when moist, transversely cracking when dry, whitish or paler than the cap. The spores are elliptical, 12×6µ. I found this species in Tolerton's woods, Salem, Ohio, St. John's woods, Bowling Green, Ohio, also on Ralston's Run near Chillicothe, where the specimens in Figure 235 were found. Both cap and stem are covered with a thick gluten. They grow, with us, in woods among leaves. The young plant has a development peculiar to itself. The cap varies greatly in color. The flesh is white or whitish. The peculiar bluish-white gills of the young plant will attract attention at once. It is found from September to November.