Toadstools, mushrooms, fungi, edible and poisonous; one thousand American fungi

_Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. alboa´ter= Schw.—black and white. =Pileus= convex, subtomentose-velvety, black. =Tubes= free, their mouths rather small, white. =Stem= black. =Pileus= 3 in. broad. =Stem= 2 in. long. Moist woods. Frequent. North Carolina and Pennsylvania, _Schweinitz_. In Epicrisis, p. 424, Fries adds to the description here quoted, that the stem is flocculose-veiled. He subjoins to this as a subspecies, Boletus floccosus Schw.; but in Syn. N.A. Fung., Schweinitz makes this a synonym of Boletus floccopus. The species does not appear to have been recognized by recent collectors, which seems strange unless there is some error concerning it. Can it be a black variety of Boletus scaber? _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. Mt. Gretna, Pa. Gravelly woods. _McIlvaine._ Cap 1½-4 in. across, convex, slightly depressed, _margin involute when young_, black, densely velvety in youth and age—beautifully so. =Flesh= firm, thick, solid, white changing to grayish. =Tubes= white, stuffed, sometimes blackish when young, excepting a grayish-white circle around stem, becoming yellowish-white when matured, rotund, minute, up to ½ in. long, plane when young; when caps expand tubes draw away from stem leaving a deep white depression. This drawing away apparently elongates many dissepiments, creating a gill-like effect, decurrent upon stem. =Stem= 2–3 in. long, swollen toward base when young, equal, expanding into cap and tapering to a point at base; ¾-1 in. thick, slightly compressible, hard, sooty-black, velvety near base, satiny and glossy upward, has the appearance of having been blackened with burnt cork, usually with narrow white band next to the tubes, no trace of veil, composed of rather hard waved fibers, white when split, but changing to sooty black toward base, lighter upward. Smell like common mushroom; taste nutty. Gregarious in sandy-conglomerate soil in mixed woods, among moss and leaves. Mt. Gretna, Pa. Differs from B. alboater Schw., in having densely tomentose cap, tubes widely separated from stem in age. A young specimen of apparently same species in same patch had very short, decurrent tubes (not over 1 line) which were sooty-black. Delicious. =B. sor´didus= Frost—sordid. =Pileus= convex, subtomentose, dirty dark-brown. =Flesh= white, slightly tinged with green. =Tubes= long, nearly free, at first white, changing to bluish-green. =Stem= smaller at the top, brownish, marked with darker streaks, generally greenish above. =Spores= 10–13×5µ. =Pileus= about 2 in. broad. Recent excavations in woods. New England, _Frost_; Ohio, _Morgan_. The Ohio plant occurs in damp woods, has the flesh sometimes tinged with red and green, the tubes white, then sordid, but changing to bluish-green when bruised, their mouths large and angular, the stem somewhat flexuous and striate and the spores fusiform and dirty-brown, _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. versipel´lis= Fr. =Pileus= convex, _dry_, at first compact and minutely _tomentose_, then squamose or smooth, reddish or orange-red, the margin _appendiculate_ with the inflexed remains of the membranous veil. =Flesh= white or grayish. =Tubes= at first concave or nearly plane, almost or quite free, minute, sordid-white, their mouths gray. =Stem= equal or tapering upward, solid, wrinkled-scaly, whitish or pallid. =Spores= oblong-fusiform, 14–18×4–6µ. =Pileus= 2–6 in. broad. =Stem= 3–5 in. long, 4–10 lines thick. Woods and open places, especially in sandy soil. North Carolina, _Curtis_; New England, _Frost_; New York, _Peck_; California, _H. and M. Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. _McIlvaine._ The caps are good cooked in any way. (Plate CXXI.) [Illustration: BOLETUS SCABER. One-half natural size. ] =B. sca´ber= Fr.—_scaber_, rough. (Plate CXVIII, fig. 4, p. 436.) =Pileus= convex, _glabrous, viscid when moist_, at length wrinkled or lined. =Tubes= free, convex, white, then sordid, their mouths minute, rotund. =Stem= solid, attenuated above, _roughened with fibrous scales_. =Spores= oblong-fusiform, snuff-brown, 14–18×4–6µ. =Pileus= 1–5 in. broad. =Stem= 3–5 in. long, 3–8 lines thick. Woods, swamps and open places. Very common and appearing through summer and autumn. This may fairly be called our most common and variable species. It is recorded in nearly every local list of fungi. The pileus is convex, hemispherical or even subconical. It may be glabrous, minutely tomentose, subvelvety or squamulose. The flesh is white or whitish and sometimes slightly changeable where wounded. The tubes are generally rather long and with a rounded or convex surface. The stem is distinctly scabrous or roughened with small blackish-brown or reddish dots or scales, the ground color generally being whitish, grayish or pallid. The spores have been described as pale-brown and light-yellowish. When caught in a mass on white paper they appear to me to approach snuff-brown. The viscidity of the pileus is not always clearly discernible. Indeed the pileus is often quite as _dry as in_ B. versipellis. When moistened by heavy rains it sometimes is smooth and clammy to the touch but scarcely viscid. Several varieties have been indicated which are expressive of the variations in the color of the pileus. Var. _testa´ceus_. =Pileus= brick-red. Var. _auranti´acus_. =Pileus= orange or orange-red. These appear to connect this species and B. versipellis. Var. _aluta´ceus_. =Pileus= yellowish-tan color. Var. _fuligin´eus_. =Pileus= fuliginous or cinereous-fuliginous. Var. _fus´cus_. =Pileus= brown or dark-brown. Var. _oliva´ceus_. =Pileus= olivaceous. Var. _ni´veus_. =Pileus= white, when old sometimes stained with blue or livid-blue. To these might be added: Var. _areola´tus_. =Pileus= rimose-areolate. (Plate CXVIII, fig. 4, p. 436.) Var. _mutab´ilis_. =Flesh= changing slightly to brown or pinkish where wounded. Var. _graci´lipes_. =Stem= very slender, 2–3 in. long, 2–3 lines thick. =Pileus= thin, translucent when held toward the light. This Boletus is classed among the edible species, but it is said to be less agreeable than B. edulis. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. West Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, _McIlvaine_. The numerous varieties with their peculiarities here given by Professor Peck will enable the finder of a Boletus with a distinctly scabrous stem—_roughened with scales, not reticulate_—to select its name. For the mycophagist it is enough to know that he has Boletus scaber. In all of its varieties it is edible. The stems, often the tubes, unless young, should be discarded, as they do not cook in the same time as the caps. The comparative excellence of the species rests with the devourer. It deserves a high place. B. scaber, var. areolatus, Plate CXVIII, fig. 4, has slight flavor, but is of pleasing consistency. =B. durius´culus= Schulz—somewhat hard. =Pileus= 2–5 in. across, hemispherical, minutely velvety, viscid when moist, varying in color from pale-brown, through dingy-chestnut, to umber-brown, often becoming cracked in areas when dry, interstices paler. =Flesh= thick, white or tinged yellow, when cut becoming reddish copper-color. =Tubes= ½-¾ in. long, shortened round the stem and free, openings about ⅔ mm. across, often compound, irregularly angular, bright-yellow. =Stem= 4–7 in. long, fusiform, thickest part 1½-2 in. across, situated below the middle, yellowish, rough with blackish points, which are sometimes arranged in a subreticulate manner, apex sometimes more or less grooved, solid, flesh of upper part becoming coppery like the pileus. =Spores= elongato-cylindrical, pale-umber, 14–16×5–6µ. In woods. Esculent and very delicious. Allied to Boletus scaber, but distinguished by the bright-yellow tubes and the very firm flesh, which turns coppery-red when exposed to the air; this color eventually changes to a dingy grayish-violet. Also allied to Boletus porphyrosporus. _Massee._ Snow Hill, N.J. Gravelly soil, mixed woods, 1892. _McIlvaine._ The stem and tubes should be removed. The caps are very fine. =B. albel´lus= Pk.—whitish. =Pileus= convex or gibbous, soft, glabrous, whitish. =Flesh= white, unchangeable. =Tubes= convex, free, or nearly so, small, subrotund, whitish, unchangeable. =Stem= _glabrous or minutely branny_, substriate, _bulbous or thickened at the base_, whitish. =Spores= brownish-ochraceous, 14–16×5–6µ. =Pileus= 1–2 in. broad. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 3–6 lines thick. Woods. New York, _Peck_. This is closely related to B. scaber, of which it may possibly prove to be a dwarf form; but it is easily distinguished by its smooth or only slightly scurfy and subbulbous stem. It presents no appearance of the colored dot-like squamules which are a constant and characteristic feature of that species. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. West Virginia. Woodland Cemetery, Philadelphia. _McIlvaine._ Specimens found at Mt. Gretna, Pa., had a satiny, glossy stem, beautifully furfuraceous, and stem _not_ thickened at base. Professor Peck, to whom specimens were sent, writes: “Stem is a little more furfuraceous, and not thickened at the base, otherwise the agreement is very good.” It is good fried. =B. chro´mapes= Frost. =Pileus= convex or nearly plane, slightly and sometimes fasciculately tomentose, pale-red. =Flesh= white, unchangeable. =Tubes= subadnate, more or less depressed around the stem, white or whitish, becoming brown. =Stem= equal or slightly tapering upward, _rough-spotted_, whitish or pallid, _chrome-yellow at the base both without and within_, sometimes reddish above. =Spores= oblong, 12–14×4–5µ. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad. =Stem= 2–4 in. long, 4–6 lines thick. Woods. New England, _Frost_; New York, _Peck_. The yellow base of the stem appears to be a peculiar and constant character by which the species may easily be recognized. It imitates Boletus piperatus in this respect, but in everything else it is very distinct from that plant. Sometimes the stem is so badly infested by larvæ that it is difficult to procure a sound specimen. The spores have a subferruginous color with a slight incarnate tint, but the rough-dotted stem indicates a relationship with B. scaber. Through this species, Boletus conicus and B. gracilis, the Versipelles and the Hyporhodii appear to run together. In the Catalogue of Plants of Amherst the specific name is “chromapus.” It would be more in accordance with present custom to write it “chromopus.” _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. A dozen or more specimens referable to this species were found by me at Mt. Gretna, Pa., August, 1897, in mixed woods. The caps were eaten and were excellent. =B. nebulo´sus= Pk. =Pileus= convex, dry, snuff-brown or smoky-brown. =Flesh= white, unchangeable. =Tubes= convex, depressed around the stem, pallid or brownish, becoming purplish-brown where wounded, the mouths small, rotund. =Stem= enlarged toward the base, solid, scurfy, colored like the pileus. =Spores= 12.5–15×6µ. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad. =Stem= 3–4 in. long, 4–6 lines thick. Shaded banks by road-side. Raybrook. August. No young or immature specimens were seen, and the description is to that extent incomplete. _Peck_, 51st Rep. N.Y. State Bot. By a painting made by the writer September, 1885, Professor Peck identified the species of which it is a picture as B. nebulosus Pk. The following notes accompany it, which have been verified many times since their writing: Oak woods. West Philadelphia, Pa., September. Mt. Gretna, Pa., September. =Pileus= chestnut-brown and darker, covered with small, low, black spots; convex, often depressed in center, sharp on margin. =Flesh= white, thick, solid, unchangeable. =Tubes= very small, and light pinkish-brown. When touched they change to a deeper hue. =Stem= same color as pileus, but a shade lighter, solid, scurfy, having a striate appearance, enlarging toward base. Taste sweet and pleasant. Cooked it is juicy, meaty and very fine. =B. ful´vus Pk=.—brownish-yellow. (Plate CXVI, fig. 3, p. 420.) =Pileus= thick, convex or subcampanulate, dry, glabrous, rimose-areolate, tawny-yellow, the extreme margin dark-brown. =Flesh= spongy, tough, white, slowly assuming a reddish tint upon exposure to the air. =Tubes= rather long, ventricose, depressed around the stem and free or nearly so, greenish-yellow, the mouths small, tawny-yellow. =Stem= rather long, often narrowed and striate at the top, dotted with brownish-orange granules or points, radicating, tough, stuffed with greenish-yellow fibers, colored like the pileus. =Spores= unknown. =Pileus= 2–3 in. broad. =Stem= 4–5 in. long, 4–8 lines thick. Cespitose on decaying stumps. West Philadelphia, Pa. August. _McIlvaine._ Mr. McIlvaine says that there were between twenty and thirty specimens on and about an old stump and that they were as attractive to the eye as a cluster of Clitocybe illudens. _Peck_, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, Vol. 27, January, 1900. Excellent in flavor, rather spongy, but fine. HYPORHO´DII. _Gr_—somewhat rose-colored. =Tubes= adnate to the stem, whitish, then white-incarnate from the rosy spores. In this tribe the tubes are at first whitish, but with the development of the spores they usually assume a pinkish or flesh-colored hue. Wounds of the tubes in some species cause a change in color but not to blue, nor are the tube mouths differently colored as in the Luridi. The stem in some is more or less reticulated but this is scarcely a constant or reliable character in these species. Typically the spores are rosy or flesh-colored, but I have admitted species in which they incline to rust-colored, giving more weight to the color of the tubes than to that of the spores. Pileus black or blackish B. nigrellus Pileus some other color 1