the
species.]

Velutipes, from _vellum_, velvet and _pes_, foot.

Pileus from one to four inches broad, tawny yellow, fleshy at the
center, thick on the margin, quite sticky or viscid when moist, margin
slightly striate, sometimes inclined to be excentric.

Gills rounded behind, broad, slightly adnexed, tan or pale-yellow,
somewhat distant.

The stem is cartilaginous, tough, hollow, umber, then becoming blackish,
with a velvety coat. Spores are elliptical, 7x3-3.5u.

It grows on stumps, logs and roots, in the ground. It grows almost the
year round. I have gathered it to eat in February. Plate XV gives a very
correct notion of the plant. It is most plentiful in September, October
and November, yet found throughout the winter months.

_Mycena. Fr._

Mycena is from a Greek word, meaning a fungus. The plants of this genus
are small and rather fragile.

Pileus more or less membranaceous, generally striate, with the margin
almost straight, and at first pressed to the stem, never involute,
expanded, campanulate, and generally umbonate.

The stem is externally cartilaginous, hollow, not stuffed when young,
confluent with the cap. Gills never decurrent, though some species have
a broad sinus near the stem.

Most species are small and inodorous, but some which have a strong
alkaline odor are probably not good. Some are known to be edible.

A few species exude a colored or watery juice when bruised. The Mycena
resembles the Collybia, but never has the incurved margin of the latter.
The plants are usually smaller, and the caps are more or less conical.

This genus might be mistaken for Omphalia, in which the gills are but
slightly decurrent, but in Omphalia the cap is umbilicate while in
Mycena it is umbonate.

Their being so small makes the determination of species somewhat
difficult. Some have characteristic odors which greatly assist in
establishing their identity.

_Mycena galericulata. Scop._

THE SMALL PEAKED-CAP MYCENA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Plate XVI. Figure 89.--Mycena galericulata.

Natural size.]

Galericulata, a small peaked-cap.

The pileus is campanulate, whitish or grayish, center of the disk darker
and lighter toward the margin, smooth, dry, margin striated nearly to
the peak of the umbo, sometimes slightly depressed.

The gills are adnate with a tooth, connected by veins, whitish, then
gray, often flesh color, rather distant, ventricose, edge sometimes
entire, sometimes serrate.