The North American species of Pholiota, by Alexander H. Smith and L. R. Hesler.

Smith ~ Hesler

99

areas, a situation not infrequently encountered in Psilocybe. This is one
of the most distinctive species of the subgenus by virtue of its pale color
faded, extreme fragility dried, and rather wide delicate stipe. Some of
the spores in mounts of the type appear slightly compressed.
MATERIAL EXAMINED: MARYLAND: Kauffman, 5-20-19, as "Pholiota
sp." (MICH). MICHIGAN: Bartelli 2209, 2219; Harding 79; Smith
9510, 15002 (type), 15021, 21467, 25535, 28740, 321148, 32149, 36301,
36321, 36369, 36416, 36620, 36675, 38980, 41293, 51346, 66253, 66355,
66509, 66640, 71505, 71515, 71519, NORTH CAROLINA: Hesler 20411.
OHIO: Walters 5-21-42, 5-20-46. TENNESSEE: Hesler 20411, 21314,
21322, 21346. WISCONSIN: Shaffer 740.
Stirps Marginella
This group contains species lacking a gelatinous pellicle on the
pileus. The final test for viscidity here is to section freshly matured pilei
to demonstrate that no gelatinous layer is present. In the remaining
stirpes old basidiocarps of any of the species may have the pellicle
obliterated by erosion, so young specimens, if available, should be sectioned. In P. albo-virescens we find a very close parallel to Naematoloma
fasciculare but with a yellow-brown spore deposit.
Key
1. Basidiocarps with a distinct pseudorhiza; taste bitter.............................................see P. olym piana
1. N ot as above........................................ 2
2. Stipe distinctly yellow at first; gills at first pallid becoming greenish........................................ P. albo-virescens
2. Stipe not colored as above........................................3
3. Cheilocystidia 30-50 x 7-12,u, basal portion often ochraceous in
KOH, arising from a cellular region with cells having ochraceous
w alls in K O H........................................................................ P. decep tiva
3. Not as above....................4
4. Pileus soon umbilicate; on debris of Thuja; stipe bister............................................................................ P. u m b ilic a ta
4. N o t a s a b o v e........................................................................................ 5
5. Pileus olive-yellow fading to whitish; pleurocystidia 25-46 x 6-9 /u,
abundant............................................................... P. albo-olivascens
5. Pileus red to red-brown or dark cinnamon, not whitish when faded........................................................................................................................6
6. Pileus subferruginous; gill trama of hyphae more or less thinwalled and nearly hyaline in KOH................. P. marginella
6. Pileus dark dull cinnamon; gill trama at maturity cellular from
hyphal cells inflated 10-25 /i, and with walls 0.5-1.5 /u thick as
well as rusty brown in KOH.................................. P. bridgii