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

=C. muscoi´des=—_muscus_, moss. =Height= 1–1½ in., slightly tufted, yellow. =Stem= slender, tomentose at base, becoming two or three times forked. =Branchlets= thin, tapering, crescent-shaped, acute. =Spores= white, subglobose, 5–6µ _Massee_. In pastures. North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_; Ohio; New York, _Peck_, 47th Rep. Edible. _Curtis_. =C. Her´veyi= Pk. Gregarious or subcespitose, simple or with a few branches, often compressed or irregular, scarcely 1 in. high, golden-yellow, sometimes brownish at the apex. =Flesh= white. =Branches= when present, short, simple or terminating in few or many more or less acute denticles. =Spores= globose, 7.5µ broad, minutely roughened; mycelium white. Ground under hemlock trees. Orono, Me. September. _F.L. Hervey._ Allied to C. fastigiata and C. muscoides, but distinct from both by its more irregular and less branching character and by its larger spores. _Peck_, 45th Rep. N.Y. State Bot. Near Haddonfield, N.J., August, 1890, among scrub pines and spruce. A pretty species of medium flavor. ** _Plant white, gray or yellowish._ =C. coralloi´des= Linn. =Height= 2–4 in., usually tufted, growing into each other, white. =Trunk= thick, short, much branched. =Branches= repeatedly forked, compressed, hollow within, fragile, dilated upward, tips crowded acute. Occasionally the branches do not develop entirely and are obtuse; they then somewhat resemble in shape C. rugosa, but are not wrinkled. =Spores= pale-ochraceous, pointed, 10×8µ _Massee_. Indiana, _H.I. Miller_; West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, _McIlvaine_. A common edible species in Europe. Common in United States. The writer has eaten it for many years. It is not always tender. It should be young, fresh, and the branches alone cooked. It requires slow, patient cooking if at all old. It does dry well, as stated by some writers, but it does not wet well again. (Plate CXL.) [Illustration: CLAVARIA CINEREA. Two-thirds natural size. ] =C. cine´rea= Bull.—_cinis_, ashes. (Plate CXL.) =Height= 1–3 in., gregarious or tufted, sometimes in rows. Gray. =Stem= either thin or thick, short, lighter than branches. =Branches= very numerous compressed, wrinkled, irregular, somewhat obtuse or flattened and divided into slender points. Its gray color easily distinguishes it from others. It is variable in its mode of growth and in its shape. On ground in woods. Common. June to frost. Eatable, but injurious in quantities. _Cordier._ Edible, but provokes indigestion in delicate stomachs. _Leuba._ Eaten generally in Europe. In France it is called _pied de coq_. Plentiful in United States, in mixed woods. June to frost. The writer and his friends have eaten it for fifteen years, and know of no Clavaria equalling it. =C. tetrago´na= Schw.—Four-angled. Very fragile, deep orange-yellow, twice forked. =Stem= and =branches= quadrangular, 1–1½ in. tall. Moist shady places. New York. Ground in shaded places. August and September. Poughkeepsie, _Gerard_, _Peck_, 24th Rep.; North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_; Pennsylvania, _Schweinitz_. Edible. _Curtis._ [Illustration: Photographed by Dr. J.R. Weist. PLATE CXLI. CLAVARIA CRISTATA. ] =C. crista´ta= Pers.—_crista_, a crest. (Plate CXLI, p. 518.) =Height= 1–5 in., whitish, tufts of broad flattened branches cut on margins or crested. =Base= short, stout. =Branches= numerous, irregular, flattened upward and divided like moose horns, tough, stuffed, dingy. This peculiarity distinguishes it and separates it from C. coralloides. =Spores= pale ochraceous, pointed, 10×8µ _Massee_. Woods. Common. Summer and autumn. Indiana, _H.I. Miller_; West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, _McIlvaine_. Edible. _Curtis._ After a summer rain the crested Clavaria is usually abundant where there is good encouragement of mossy beds or mats of rich wood-soil in woods where leaves and mold accumulate. It is not as tender as many other species, but chopped fine and stewed slowly for an hour it will be eaten with enjoyment. =C. rugo´sa= Bull.—_ruga_, a wrinkle. White or dingy, simple or tufted, 2–4 in. high, branched from the base with irregular blunt branches wrinkled lengthwise, sometimes thickened upward. Distinguished by the distinct, irregular, longitudinal wrinkles. =Spores= white, irregularly globose, 8–10µ _Massee_. In woods, solitary or gregarious. August to November. North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_. Pennsylvania, Ohio. It is reported edible by Dr. Curtis, M.C. Cooke and Dr. Badham. =C. pyxida´ta= Pers.—_pyxis_, a small box. Tufted, light tan-color, shaded with red, 1–3 in. high. =Stem= or trunk thin, smooth, variable in length, dividing into many erect forked branches, which are cup-shaped at the tips. The margins of these tips have slender branchlets issuing from them (proliforme). Distinguished by the cup-like tips. =Spores= white, 4×3µ _Massee_. On rotten wood, on rotten roots in ground. June and into the autumn. North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_; Pennsylvania, _McIlvaine_. Specimen sent by writer to Prof. Peck, June, 1897, and identified by him. Not tested by writer, but is in Dr. Curtis' list of edible species. =C. subtil´is= Pers. Scattered, slender, subtenaceous, pallid-white, bases smooth and of equal thickness, branches few, forked, subfastigiate. North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_; Pennsylvania. Edible. _Curtis._ =C. den´sa= Pk. =Tufts= 2–4 in. high, nearly as broad, whitish or creamy-yellow, branching from the base. =Branches= very numerous, nearly parallel, crowded, terete, somewhat wrinkled when dry, the tips dentate, concolorous. =Spores= slightly colored, elliptical, 7.5–10×5–8.5µ. Ground in woods. Selkirk. August. Apparently closely allied to C. condensata, but differing decidedly in color. _Peck_, 41st Rep. N.Y. State Bot. Specimens identified by Professor Peck. Large masses of it grew at Mt. Gretna, Pa., July, August and September, 1898, in mixed woods. Brittle; when young it is very compact. It is without much flavor, but stews tender and makes a good dish. _B._ SPORES OCHRACEOUS OR CINNAMON. ** _Plant yellow or dingy ochraceous._ =C. au´rea= Schaeff.—_aurum_, gold. (Plate CXXXIX, fig. 2, p. 516.) =Trunk= thick, elastic, pallid. =Flesh= white, dividing into numerous thick branches that become repeatedly divided in a dichotomous manner upward, and terminate in slender, erect, round, yellow branchlets. =Spores= pale ochraceous, elliptical, 10–11×5–6µ. In woods. Forming large tufts 2–3 in. high, colorless or almost so below, tips yellow. _Massee._ North Carolina, _Curtis_; Ohio, Alabama. Found in West Virginia, 1882; Devon, Angora, Eagle’s Mere, Mt. Gretna, Pa.; Haddonfield, N.J. August and September. _McIlvaine._ Eaten in Europe. Edible. _Curtis._ In structure it reminds one of a miniature cropped Lombardy poplar. The color is not bright, but dingy-yellow. Resembles C. flava; distinguished by different color of spores. The branches (not stem) are tender and good. Var. _rufes´cens_ Schaeff. This plant occurs after heavy rains. It sometimes grows in continuous rows several feet in extent. The pinkish-red tips of the branches fade with age. The axils are rounded and the plant is quite fragile. Fries considers it a variety of C. aurea. _Peck_, 25th Rep. N.Y. State Bot. Found at Springton, Chester county, Pa., August, 1887. It is edible and good. The plant is tender and easily cooked. =C. formo´sa= Pers.—_formosus_, finely formed. (Plate CXXXIX, fig. 3, p. 416.) =Height= 2–4 in. =Trunk= 1 in. and more thick, whitish or yellowish, elastic. =Branches= numerous, crowded, elongated, divided at ends into yellow branchlets which are thin, straight, obtuse or toothed. =Spores= ochraceous 9×3–4µ _Massee_; elongated, oval, rough, 16×8µ _W.G.S._ On ground in woods, in large tufts, frequently in rows several feet long. North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_; Pennsylvania, New Jersey, _McIlvaine_. Esteemed in Europe. Edible. _Dr. Curtis._ Common in the United States in woods. Variable. An orange-rose color is sometimes prominent on the tips. The tenderer portions of the plant are excellent, but must be well cooked. =C. spinulo´sa= Pers.—spined. =Height= 2–3 in. high. =Stem= ½-1 in. thick. =Trunk= stout, short, whitish. =Branches= numerous, crowded, erect, tense, elongated, tapering upward. =Color= cinnamon-brown or darker. =Spores= ochraceous, elliptical, 11–13×5–6µ _Massee_. On ground in pine woods. August to October. New York, _Peck_, 24th Rep.; New Jersey, _Sterling_; Pennsylvania, _McIlvaine_. Of same edible quality as C. aurea, which it resembles, excepting that it is darker and less abrupt in the ending of its clusters. =C. flac´cida= Fr.—_flaccidus_, flaccid. =Height= 1–3 in., bright ochraceous, slender. =Stem= short, smooth, sometimes wanting, thin, 1–2 lines thick, repeatedly branched. =Branches= crowded, unequal, flaccid, upper ones forcep-shaped, pointed. Does not turn green when bruised like C. abietina. The whitish mycelium creeps over the leaves on which it grows. Brittle, tender, flesh white. =Spores= ochraceous, broadly elliptical 4–5×3µ _K._ Received from E.B. Sterling, Trenton, N.J. Two specimens eaten. These were quite dry. After soaking they were tender and had good flavor. (Plate CXLII.) [Illustration: CLAVARIA CIRCINANS. (After Peck.) ] =C. cir´cinans= Pk.—_circino_, to make round. (Plate CXLII.) =Stem= short, solid, dichotomously or subverticillately branched. =Branches= slightly diverging or nearly parallel, nearly equal in length, the ultimate ones terminating in two or more short acute concolorous ramuli. =Spores= ochraceous. =Plant= 1–2 in. high, obconic in outline, flat-topped, appearing almost as if truncated, pallid or almost whitish in color, generally growing in imperfect circles or curved lines. Under spruce and balsam trees. Adirondack mountains. August. _Peck_, 39th Rep. N.Y. State Bot. Where pines have grown, but where now oak and chestnut trees make rather open woods, it grows at Mt. Gretna, Pa. A stumpy fungus impressing one as stunted. Its texture is solid. It does not cook tender, but yields a fungus flavor to the cooking medium. ** _Growing on wood._ =C. stric´ta= Pers.—_stringo_, to draw tight. =Height= 2–3 in. =Color= pale dull-yellow becoming brown when bruised. =Stem= distinct, thick, short. =Branches= numerous, repeatedly forked, straight, closely pressed, tips pointed. =Spores= dark cinnamon, _Fries_; creamy yellow 4×6µ _W.G.S._ Var. _fu´mida_. The whole plant is a dingy, smoky-brownish hue, otherwise of the typical form. Catskill mountains. September. In the fresh state the specimens appear very unlike the ordinary form, but in the dried state they are scarcely to be distinguished. _Peck_, 41st Rep. N.Y. State Bot. Eaten in Germany. This form occurs in West Virginia mountains and at Mt. Gretna, Pa., Trenton, N.J., in August and September, among leaves in mixed woods. It compares favorably with the ordinary run of Clavaria. =C. dicho´toma= God.—dividing by pairs. Cespitose, white; branches regularly dividing by pairs, elongated, flexuous, diverging, somewhat compressed, extremities obtuse, rounded at or just below the apex broadly compressed. On the ground, under beeches. “Notwithstanding its beauty this is dangerous. In 1883, when it was very plentiful, I saw entire families sick from it and in 1888 there was a repetition with new victims. “It produces nausea, vertigo and violent diarrhea.” _Leuba._ I have not seen the plant. SYNCO´RYNE. _Gr_—together, a club. Clubs almost simple, tufted at the base. [Illustration: Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine. PLATE CXXXVIII.] FIG. PAGE. FIG. PAGE.