The North American species of Psathyrella.

19,72]

PSATHYRELLA

39

present but rare, occurring in groups, 48-53 x 10-12 a, ventricose above a slight
pedicel, apex capitate to subcapitate and terminating a scarcely narrowed neck
(i.e. utriform). Cheilocystidia very abundant, 38-60 (-80) x 9-11 a/, narrowed at
base and slightly enlarged toward the capitate to subcapitate apex, thin-walled
hyaline in KOH, smooth. Caulocystidia not studied.
Gill trama parallel, of broad equal and greatly elongated cells, sordid yellowish
brown in KOH, subhymenium darker. Pileus trama with a cuticle of hyaline
vesiculose to clavate or pedicellate cells, several cells deep, numerous filamentose
hyphae clamped at the septa arising from among the cells of the cuticle, the
walls with brown incrusting material in wide bands or spirals (as revived in
KOH). Context of interwoven hyphae pale yellowish brown in KOH. Clamp
connections present.
Type locality. Menands, Albany County, New York.
Habit and habitat. On the ground solitary to cespitose in pastures, open
woods, etc. Not common.
Distribution. Michigan, New York.
Observations. The disagreeable taste appears to be the distinguishing feature
of this variety, and may possibly make the species unacceptable as an esculent.
Other features such as a white stipe, non-hygrophanous pileus and white flesh as
described need further verification. Pleurocystidia are present on the type specimen. In view of the overall similarities with P. velutina var. velutina it seems
best to reduce Peck's species to the rank of variety. However, the problem is
worth more study particularly if one can again collect material answering the
original description. P. pyrotricha has similar incrustrations on the hairs of the
pileus, but grows on beech and has much brighter colors. It is not known from
North America as yet.
Material examined. Michigan: Smith 64388. New York: Peck, Menands
(Type); Marsden 701.
6. Psathyrella rugocephala (Atkinson) A. H. Smith, comb. nov.
Hypholoma rugocephalum Atkinson, Stud. Amer. Fungi p. 30. 1901.
Illust. 1. c. pl. 8, fig. 29.
Pileus 6-10 cm broad, convex-expanded or plane, the margin often turned up
in age, at times broadly umbonate, surface strongly radiately rugulose, glabrous,
moist, watery brown to tawny, finally alutaceous. Context thick on the disc, thin
on the margin, tinged yellowish, odor and taste not distinctive.
Lamellae adnate, seceding, rounded next to the stipe or sinuate, moderately
close, broad (5-7 mm), pallid brownish becoming purplish black and mottled
from the maturing spores, edges whitish and fimbriate.
Stipe 8-12 cm long, 6-10 mm thick, equal, subbulbous, even, hollow, lower
portion pale brownish, paler and glabrous above, subannulate from veil remnants
and these usually blackish from an accumulation of spores, in age glabrescent or
remaining appressed fibrillose.
Spores 9-11 x6-7(-8) at, densely but rather finely verrucose, apex furnished
with an abrupt protruding lens-shaped pore, shape in face view broadly suboval
(pointed at apiculate end) and with the protruding lens-shaped apical cap, in
profile somewhat inequilateral, color in KOH dark chocolate-color, in Melzer's
dull bay-red, wall about 0.6 pt thick.
Basidia 24-28 x 9-10 P, 4-spored, clavate, hyaline in KOH. Pleurocystidia
scattered to abundant, thin-walled, hyaline in KOH, 45-63 x 9-12 u, slightly