=TRICHOLO´MA= Fr. _Gr._—a hair, a fringe. (Plate XIX.) [Illustration: SECTION OF TRICHOLOMA.] =Pileus= symmetrical, generally fleshy, never truly umbilicate, seldom umbonate. =Veil= absent or appearing only as fibrils or down on the margin of the pileus. =Gills= sinuate (the small sudden curve near the stem always apparent in the young plant), sometimes with a slightly decurrent tooth. =Stem= central, usually stout, fleshy-fibrous, without a bark-like skin. =Flesh= continuous with that of the pileus. =Ring= and =Volva= absent. =Spores= white or dingy. But one is known to be poisonous. Some are acrid or unpleasant in flavor. With one exception all grow on the ground in pastures and woods, appearing from May to late in the autumn. Gills generally white or dingy, frequently spotted or stained. The pileus may be smooth or adorned with fibrous or downy scales, dry, moist, viscid or water-soaked. The distinguishing feature of Tricholoma is the sinuate gills. In Collybia the stem bears a distinct bark-like skin; in Clitocybe the gills are never sinuate; species of Pleurotus are distinguished by growing on wood only, and Paxillus by their strongly-incurved margin and anastomosing gills. In cooking Tricholoma consistency must be the guide to plan and time. The tougher varieties require to be cut into small pieces and to be well cooked, while the brittle and delicate varieties will cook quickly. Many of them make excellent soups. ANALYSIS OF TRIBES. _A._ PILEUS VISCID, FIBRILLOSE, SCALY OR DOWNY, NOT WATER-SOAKED. Stem fibrillose from the remains of the adnate universal veil. LIMACINA (_limas_, a slug or snail, slimy). Page 61. Cuticle of pileus viscid when moist, innately fibrillose or scaly, but not lacerated; flesh of pileus thick, firm; margin almost naked. * Gills not discolored, nor becoming reddish. ** Gills discolored, usually spotted with reddish-brown. GENUINA. Page 67. Cuticle of the pileus never moist or viscid; torn into downy or floccose scales. Flesh soft, not water-soaked; margin involute and slightly downy at first. * Gills not changing color, nor spotted with red or black. ** Gills becoming reddish or gray, the edge at last generally with reddish or black spots. RIGIDA (_rigeo_, to be stiff). Page 74. Pileus rigid, hard, somewhat cartilaginous when fleshy, very fragile when thin, cuticle rigid, granulated or broken up when dry into smooth scales, not torn into fibrils. Young specimens occur which are fibrillose from the veil, not from laceration of the cuticle. * Gills white or pallid, not becoming spotted with red or gray. ** Gills becoming reddish, grayish or spotted. SERICELLA (_sericeus_, silky). Page 74.