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

Smith ~ Hesler

327

and in Melzer's reagent. Pleurocystidia 35-60 X 8-14,u, fusoid-ventricose
to clavate-mucronate, base often 6-8 i. or more broad, wall thin and
smooth, apex obtuse to subacute; content amorphous-refractive and in
some organized into a solid refractive mass, in others more or less resembling coagulated material and somewhat granular in appearance,
both types intergrading, the coagulated content bright yellow in KOH
an(l orange to orange-red in Melzer's reagent. Cheilocystidia 40-75 x
4-8 x 3-4.4 /, ventricose at base and neck a long cylindric tube ending in
an obtuse apex, walls at times with adhering debris and often yellowisl
in KOH. Catlocystidia none found except for a few clavate hyphal endcells.
Gill trama witli a central area of greatly inflated hyphal cells (to 20
/u or more); subhymenial area of narrower (3-6 )/), non-gelatinous
lhyphae, yellow pigment in solution pervading the section. Pileus cutis
a gelatinous pellicle of hyaline to yellow interwoven hyphae 2-5 p. diam.;
lhypodermial region more ochraceous, cells compactly arranged and 8-12
(20) t broad. Context hyphae interwoven, of very broad cells, smooth,
yellow pigment spreading throughout the mount. Clamp connections
present. All hypllae inamyloid.
HABIT, HABITAT, AND DISTRIBUTION: On logs, stumps, and rotting
wood of conifers, California, Michigan, Tennessee, Idaho, Oregon and
WTashington. August to October.
OBSEKRVATIONS: The bright colors of the pileus, bitter taste, and the
levelopment of black discolorations are distinctive features of this species. It appears related to P. piceina, which is bright yellow with a darker,
reddisl disc, with greenish yellow context, smaller cheilocystidia, narrow
tramal hypllae of thle lamellae, and in having a distinct hypodermium.
Tlhe pileus tramna and gill trama are brown or yellowish brown in
KOH but slowly fade out to nearly hyaline. When sections dipped in
95()j alcoliol and tllen in water are mounted in 2% KOH, a greenish
vellow pigment (iffuses into the mounting fluid. The curious cheilocystidia are a unique character in the genus.
MATERIAL EXAMINED: CALIFORNIA: Smith 8812: IDAHO: Smith
702'51; MICHIGAN: Smitll 33-750, 25881, 37409, 38522, 38655; MONTANA: Kauffm-an 7-8-28; NORTH CAROLINA: Hesler 19298;
OREGON: Gruber 687; KAUFFMAN: 10-14-22, 10-15-22; Smith 18747,
20187, 20231, 20243, 28419, 28249; WASHINGTON: Kauffman 10-17-15a,
1()-17-151), 10-14-25, 10-25-25; Smith 3094, 16246, 16446, 16704, 16749,
16856, 17102, 17844, 30108, 31493, 31780. CANADA: ONTARIO: Smith
4533. FRANCE: Josserand 30-8-37. SWVEDEN: Kauffman 10-1808.
SWITZERLAND: Favre.
Stirps Fibrillosipes
This group contains the non-bitter bright red, orange-red to orange
or brilliant yellow species.