Illudens means deceiving. Pileus of a beautiful yellow, very showy and inviting. Many a basketful has been brought to me to be identified with the hope of their edibility. The cap is convex, umbonate, spreading, depressed, smooth, often irregular from its crowded condition of growth; in older and larger plants the margin of the pileus is wavy. The flesh is thick at the center but thinner toward the margin. In old plants the color is brownish.
The gills are decurrent, some much further than others; yellow; not crowded; broad.
The stem is solid, long, firm, smooth tapering towards the base, as will be seen by Figure 67, sometimes the stems are very large.
The pileus is from four to six inches broad. The stem is six to eight inches high. It occurs in large clusters and the rich saffron color of the entire plant compels our admiration and we are reminded that "not all is gold that glitters." It will be interesting to gather a large cluster to show its phosphorescence and the heat which the plant will generate. You can show the phosphorescence by putting it in a dark room and by placing a thermometer in the cluster you can show the heat. It is frequently called "Jack-o'-lantern."
I have known people to eat it without harm, but the chances are that it will make most persons sick. It ought to be good, since it is so abundant and looks so rich. Found from July to October.
Clitocybe multiceps. Pk.
The Many-Headed Clitocybe. Edible.
Figure 68.—Clitocybe multiceps. One-half natural size. Caps grayish-white.