ish-brown or black; stem flexuose, squamose, hollow, shining,
white; spores elliptical, black, .0005 to .00055 inch long, .00025 to
.0003 broad.

Subcaespitose; pileus 4 to 6 lines broad; stem 1 to 2 inches long to
1 1-5 lines thick. The specimens in Figure 281 were found in the
greenhouse at the State University. When quite young tufts of white hair
were very conspicuous. They are scarcely observed in mature specimens.
The plants were photographed by Dr. Kellerman.

_Gomphidius. Fr._

Gomphidius is from a Greek word meaning a wooden bolt or peg.

The hymenophore is decurrent on the stem. The gills are decurrent,
distant, soft, somewhat mucilaginous; edge acute, pruinate with the
blackish fusiform spores; veil viscoso-floccose, forming an imperfect
ring around the stem.

A small, but distinct, genus, with great difference among species;
intermediate by its habits between Cortinarius and Hygrophorus.

_Gomphidius viscidus. Fr._

VISCID GOMPHIDIUS.

The pileus is two to three inches broad, viscid, convex, then depressed
round the disk, obtusely umbonate, margin acute, reddish-brown to
yellowish-brown in the center, the margin liver-color, flesh
yellowish-brown.

The gills are decurrent, distant, somewhat branched, firm, elastic,
rather thick, purple-brown with an olive tinge.

The stem is two to three inches high, subequal or slightly ventricose;
pale yellowish-brown, fibrillose, firm, solid, slimy from the remains of
the veil, which form an obsolete filamentose ring.

The spores are elongato-fusiform, 18-20x6u.

Its favorite habitat is under pine and fir trees. Its taste is sweet and
it has the mushroom smell. It is edible, but not first-class.

Found in September and October.

CHAPTER VII.

POLYPORACEAE. TUBE-BEARING FUNGI.

In this family the cap has no gills on the upper surface, but, instead,
there are small tubes or pores. This class of plants may be naturally
divided into two groups: The perishable fungi with the pores easily
separating from the cap and from each other, which may be called
Boletaceae; and the leathery, corky, and woody fungi, with pores
permanently united to the cap and with each other, making the family
Polyporaceae.

In each group the spores are borne on the lining of the pore. A spore
print may be made in the same manner as from mushrooms having gills. The
color of the spores does not enter into the classification as in the
case of the Agaricini.

The distinc