g quite a long
period, sometimes large numbers of them covering a small area, but they
were not clustered nor cespitose. They vary in height from 4--10 cm.,
the pileus from 2--4 cm. broad, and the stem is 3--8 mm. in thickness.
The colors vary from smoky to fuliginous, olive and yellow, and the
spores are ferruginous.

The =pileus= is from ovate to conic when young, the margin not at all
incurved, but lies straight against the stem, somewhat unequal. In
expanding the cap becomes convex, then expanded, and finally many of the
plants with the margin elevated and with a broad umbo, and finely
striate for one-half to two-thirds the way from the margin to the
center. When young the pileus has a very viscid cuticle, which easily
peels from the surface, showing the yellow flesh. The cuticle is smoky
olive to fuliginous, darker when young, becoming paler as the pileus
expands, but always darker on the umbo. Sometimes the fibres on the
surface of the cap are drawn into strands which anastomose into coarse
reticulations, giving the appearance of elevated veins which have a
general radiate direction from the center of the cap. As the pileus
expands the yellow color of the flesh shows through the cuticle more and
more, especially when young, but becoming light olive to fuliginous in
age. In dry weather the surface of the pileus sometimes cracks into
patches as the pileus expands. The =gills= are rounded next the stem,
adnate to adnexed, becoming free, first yellow, then ferruginous. The
basidia are abruptly club-shaped, rather distant and separated regularly
by rounded cells, four spored. The =spores= are ferruginous, elliptical,
10--15 x 6--8 mu, smooth. The =stem= is cylindrical to terete, tapering
above, sulphur and ochre yellow, becoming paler and even with a light
brown tinge in age. The stem is hollow, and covered with numerous small
yellow floccose scales which point upward and are formed by the tearing
away of the edges of the gills, which are loosely united with the
surface of the stem in the young stage. The edges of the gills are thus
sometimes finely fimbriate.

At maturity the gills become more or less mucilaginous, depending on the
weather. Plants placed in a moist chamber change to a mucilaginous mass.
When the plants dry the pileus is from a drab to hair brown or sepia
color (Ridgeway's colors). Figure 158 is from plants (No. 2355 C. U.
herbarium).

PAXILLUS Fr.

In the genus _Paxillus_ the gills are usually