MARASMIUS OREADES

Cap convex, more or less campanulate, then plane, 2-7 cm, with or without central umbo; in humid weather the margin appears striate in the direction of the gills; ocher, deeper at the center; fading in dry weather. Stem tall, thin, cylindrical, equal; sometimes somewhat curved in older specimens; of the same color as the cap, or slightly lighter; cottony at the base; elastic, tenacious, stuffed. Flesh thin, elastic, rather tough; whitish. Odor agreeable. Flavor pleasant. Gills rather sparse, broad, somewhat thick, free from the stem; whitish, then ochraceous. Spores white. It grows from spring to autumn, along frails, in the grass, in sandy grounds; in groups, in rings. Edible, of excellent quality; it dries out easily and it is edible even when collected dried; in this case it has to be regenerated in lukewarm water before cooking it; often the stem is too tough and should be discarded. Similar to oreades, but tender and fragile is Marasmius collinus; not edible, since it can cause intestinal trouble. Similar to oreades and edible are Marasmius globularis, grayish or amethystine, with radial grooves along the margin, brown and curved at the stem's base, growing in the woods, also in the mountains; and Marasmius confluens, with close, rosy white gills; growing in grouped tufts, in rows or circles, in wood clearings.