This species is much more delicate and fragile than B. Boltoni. I find
it often in dairy pastures. It is well flavored and cooks readily. Found
from June to October.

_Bolbitius Boltoni. Fr._

BOLTON'S BOLBITIUS. EDIBLE.

The pileus is somewhat fleshy, viscid, at first smooth, then the margin
sulcate, disk darker and slightly depressed.

The gills are nearly adnate, yellowish, then livid-brown.

The stem is attenuated, yellowish, ring fugacious. This is rather common
in dairy pastures and is found from May to September.

_Psathyrella. Fr._

Psathyrella is from a Greek word meaning fragile. The members of this
genus are mebranaceous, striated, margin straight, at first pressed to
the stem, not extending beyond the gills. Gills adnate or free,
sooty-black, not variegated. The stem is confluent with, but different
in character from, the spore-bearing surface. Veil inconspicuous and
generally absent.

_Psathyrella disseminata. Pers._

THE CLUSTERED PSATHYRELLA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 280.--Psathyrella disseminata. Natural size.]

Disseminata is from _dissemino_, to scatter. Pileus is about a half inch
across, membranaceous, ovate, bell-shaped, at first scurvy, then naked;
coarsely striated, margin entire; yellowish then gray. Gills adnate,
narrow, whitish, then gray, finally blackish. Stem one to one and a half
inches long, rather curved, mealy then smooth, fragile, hollow.
_Massee._

This is a very small plant, growing on grassy lawns, and very common on
old trunks, and about decaying stumps.

A cluster about two yards square shows itself at intervals all summer on
the Chillicothe High School lawn. The grass shows itself to be greener
and thriftier there on account of fertilization by the mushroom. The
entire plant is very fragile and soon melts away. I have eaten the caps
raw many times and they have a rich flavor. They are found from May till
frost.

_Psathyrella hirta. Pk._

[Illustration: Figure 281.--Psathyrella hirta.]

Hirta means hairy, rough or shaggy.

Pileus thin, hemispherical or convex, adorned when young with erect or
spreading tufts of white, easily determined and quickly evanescent
hairs; hygrophanous, brown or reddish-brown and slightly striatulate
when moist, pale grayish-brown or dingy-whitish when dry, flesh
subconcolorous; lamellae broad, moderately close, adnate and often
furnished with a decurrent tooth, at first pallid, becoming
black