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EDIBLE AND POISONOUS MUSHROOMS OF CANADA
PSATHYRELLA
Psathyrella is now used to include a large group of species formerly dis-
tributed throughout other genera such as Hypholoma, Psilocybe, Psathyra,
and Stropharia. The spore color is typically purple-brown but may vary from
pinkish to brick-red, dark brown, or blackish. They are mostly small, fragile
species that can be identified only by microscopic characters and, in general,
they are of no value as food.
Of the other dark-spored genera, Coprinus differs from Psathyrella by its
deliquescing lamellae, Panaeolus by its mottled lamellae, and Pseudocoprinus
by its plicate-striate pileus and the presence of paraphyses of the. type found
in Coprinus. The remaining genera, Agaricus, Stropharia, Naematoloma, and
Psilocybe are all distinguished from Psathyrella by the structure of the cuticle
which in them is composed of filamentous hyphae but in Psathyrella is com-
posed of pear-shaped to vesiculose cells arranged in a palisade layer.
PSATHYRELLA CANDOLLEANA (Fr.) Smith Edible
Figures 299, 300, page 195
PILEUS 1-3 in. broad, sometimes larger, fragile, at first oval, then conic to
convex, finally more or less umbonate with the margin upturned, buff or honey
colored, fading to whitish or creamy, hygrophanous, at first with some whitish
flocci, then glabrous and atomate, margin thin, often splitting, sometimes a
dirty violet color, often appendiculate with white fragments of the veil, flesh
thin, white, fragile, odor and taste mild, lamellae adnate, crowded, narrow,
at first whitish to grayish, then purplish, finally purple-brown, stipe 2-4 in.
long, V8~!4 ill- thick, equal, smooth, somewhat mealy at the apex, white,
hollow, rigid and easily splitting lengthwise, annulus membranous, some-
times remaining attached to the margin of the pileus, usually evanescent.
spores purple-brown, eUipsoid, smooth, 7-8.5 X 4-5 m-
Common in lawns, fields and occasionally in woods. June-Sept.
This is a common species on lawns and grassy places, sometimes occurring
in considerable abundance after rains. It may be found throughout the growing
season. The pilei are rather thin and fragile but they are of good flavor and
anyone interested in mushrooms as food should become acquainted with this
species.
P. candolleana was formerly in the genus Hypholoma and H. appendicula-
tum Fr. and H. incertum Peck are synonyms. The buff color, appendiculate
margin, rather cartilaginous, hollow stipe, and the series of color changes of the
lamellae as the spores mature are its distinguishing characters. Sometimes the
pileus ghstens as if small particles of mica were scattered on the surface.
PSATHYRELLA HYDROPHILA (Fr.) Smith Suspected
Figure 388, page 284
Pileus %-2i/2 in. broad, fragile, campanulate-convex, becoming nearly
plane with a sHght umbo, watery cinnamon-brown to chestnut-brown, fading
208