anched, forming tufts four to five inches
high, and five to six inches broad; whitish, inclining to creamy-yellow;
tough, moist; the branches numerous, thin, flattened, concrescent,
dilated above, spathulate or fan-shaped, often somewhat longitudinally
curved or wavy; mostly uniformly colored, rarely with a few indistinct,
nearly concolorous, transverse zones near the broad, entire apices.

The spores are globose, or broadly elliptical, .0002 to .00025 inch
long, .00016 to .0002 broad.

This species was first found by the late Dr. William Herbst of
Trexlertown, Pa., and was named by Dr. Peck in his honor. The specimen
in Figure 384 was found at Trexlertown, Pa., and photographed by Mr. C.
G. Lloyd. The plant delights in open oak woods, and is found through
August and September. It is edible and quite good.

_Sparassis crispa. Fr._

_Crispus_, curly. This is a beautiful rosette-like plant, growing quite
large at times, very much branched, whitish, oyster-colored, or pale
yellow; branches intricate, flat and leaf-like, having a spore surface
on both sides. The entire plant forms a large round mass with its
leaf-like surface variously curled, folded, and lobed, with a crest-like
margin, and springing from a well-marked root, most of which is buried
in the ground.

No one will have any trouble to recognize it, having once seen its
photograph. I found the plant quite frequently, in the woods about
Bowling Green. It is not simply good, but very good.

_Clavaria. Linn._

Clavaria is from _clavus_, a club. This is by far the largest genus in
this family, and contains very many edible species, some of which are
excellent.

The entire genus is fleshy, either branched or simple; gradually
thickening toward the top, resembling a club.

In collecting clavaria special attention should be given to the
character of the apices of the branches, color of the branches, color of
spores, the taste of the plant, and the character of the place of its
growth. This genus is readily recognized, and no one need to hesitate to
eat any of the branching forms.

_Clavaria flava. Schaeff._

PALE-YELLOW CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 385.--Clavaria flava. Natural size.]

Flava is from _flavus_, yellow. The plant is rather fragile, white and
yellow, two to five inches high, the mass of branches from two to five
inches wide, the trunk thick, much branched. The branches are round,
even, smooth, crowded, nearly parallel, poi