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

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The North American Species of Pholiota

versiform, varying from elliptic-pedicellate (in optical section) to subfusoid to utriform or fusoid-ventricose, with yellowish content at least in
the broad neck as revived in KOH and near the apex often with rodshaped to granular-amorphous bodies irregularly distributed, these bodies
apparently soluble in Melzer's reagent, content pale yellowish and homogeneous in Melzer's; the wall thin to slightly thickened (0.5-1 /t) as
revived in KOH, but many of them long remaining collapsed, thin-walled
as seen in Melzer's sol.; many cystidia are seen to have lateral protrusions
or knobs or the cell at times forked. Cheilocystidia 30-50 x 6-12 /l, subfusoid to fusoid-ventricose, thin-walled, content homogeneous and colorless in KOH. Caulocystidia scattered, elongate-clavate, 55-90(110) x
8-20 (25) p,, thin-walled, content homogenous in KOH.
Gill trama a floccose central strand of parallel to somewhat interwoven hyphae, 4-12 uL broad, the cells short to elongated, thin-walled,
yellowish in KOH and smooth, in age the cells considerably inflated; subhymenium a broad gelatinous zone of interwoven, narrow
(2-3 L) smooth hyaline hyphae. Pileus cutis a thick gelatinous pellicle
of narrow gelatinizing hyphae 2-5, broad and yellow to hyaline in KOH,
walls smooth to incrusted and in age very wrinkled; hypodermium of
incrusted ochraceous hyphae (in KOH) with the cells not greatly inflatel.
Context hyphae broad 8-15,u, yellow in KOH, walls smooth and tlin to
only slightly thickened. Clamp connections present. All hyphae inamyloid.
HABIT, HABITAT, AND DISTRIBUTION: Gregarious beside a conifer log,
coll. Win. B. Gruber (Smith 28421, type) near Larch Mountain, Oregon.
Oct. 30, 1947.
OBSERVATIONS: The distinctive features of this species are the small
mostly oblong spores, the very small basidia in relation to the giant
pleurocystidia, stipe staining pale tawny where handled, and the abruptly
bulbous stipe-base. The pleurocystidia are branched frequently enough
to suggest that this will eventually probably also be found to be a distinguishing character. An interesting feature is that apparently the
cystidial wall swells somewhat on standing in KOH and appears quite
pliant, at least many bent cystidia are seen in mounts as compared to no
broken ones.
143. Pholiota verna sp. nov.
Illustrations: Text figs. 307-308; 309-310; pi. 66.
Pilels 6-12 cn latus, late convex us, virgatus, viscidus, demum subsquamulosus, fulvuts, ad inarginem subluteus. Contextus albus. Lamellac
confertae latae, adnatae, albidae demmr snbfulvae. Stipes 4-6 cm longuls,
10-12 mm crassus, aequalis, farctus demum cavus, albidus, deorsum demum sordide luteo-brunneus, slursum sericeus. V'elum fibrillosum. Sporae
6-7 x 3.5-4 fi. Pleurocystidia crassotunicata, 60-85 x 9-14 jt, flexuosa.
Specimen typicum in Herb. Univ. Mich. conservatum est; legit prope