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

Smith ~ Hesler

63

Basidia 20-28 x 5-6 /u, 1-, 2- and 4-spored, sterigmata stout. Pleurocystidia none. Cheilocystidia 38-54 x 2-6 u., cylindric to slightly clavate,
in dried material mostly shrivelled and not reviving. Caulocystidia (material sparse so no sections were made.
Gill trama interwoven, yellowish in KOH, reddish brown in Melzer's
reagent. Pileus cutis of appressed hyphae bearing scattered to numerous
more or less erect rusty brown hyphae as revived in KOH and reddish
brown in Melzer's. Clamp connections none.
HABIT, HABITAT, AND DISTRIBUTION: On wood, Jamaica, DecemberJanuary. Type studied.
OBSERVATIONS: This species is rather anomalous because of the white
annulus and lack of clamp connections on the hyphae of the basidiocarp.
We regard our characterization of it as tentative. With more specimens
available for study for instance it may be found that some clamps are
present.
Stirps Curcuma
The pileus cuticle is more of a trichodermium in this stirps than in
the others, including the feature that the cells do not disarticulate.
Key
1. Growing on hemlock; odor when fresh aromatic; taste resembling that
of birch twigs........................... P. mulrrillii
1. N ot as above........................................ 2
2. Pileus 2-6 mm broad; spore wall up to about 0.5 / thick........................................................................................................ P. m in u t u l a
2. Pileus 1-3 cm broad; spore wall closer to 0.25 p thick... 3
3. Pileus pale yellow to pale tan when fresh; spores with a distinct pore.................................................................................................. P. l a c t e a
3. N ot as above........................................4
4. Cheilocystidia clavate to vesiculose, walls typically yellow in KOH............ (see P. granulosa also)............. P. proximans and variants
4. Cheilocystidia utriform, fusoid-ventricose, subcylindric, etc. but
not as above........................................ 5
5. Lamellae distant and arcuate...........P. fagicola
5. Lam ellae close................................................................................ 6
6. On conifer wood; lamellae subdistant; cheilocystidia elongatepedicellate with enlarged apex................... P. subechinata
6. On hardwood; lamellae close; cheilocystidia clavate, utriform to
fusoid-ventricose........................................ P. curcuma and variants
16. Pholiota curcuma (Berk. &8 Curt) comb. nov.
Agaricus curcuma Berkeley 8c Curtis, Ann. &8 Mag. Nat. Hist. II; 12: 421.
1853.