1899] Farlow, — Poisoning by Agaricus illudens 45 
was edible. On October 4, a letter was received from Mr. Brem, stat- 
ing that a lot of the same fungus he had sent me had been served at 
the State Institution for the Deaf and Dumb with the following result : 
* Eight teachers and children were poisoned, one very badly, but all 
recovered. The effect was just as you stated — all suffered from 
terrible nausea." 
Agaricus illudens is frequently found during the latter part of the 
summer and early autumn throughout the eastern states, and is one of 
our most beautiful species. It usually grows on stumps near the ground 
and occurs in large clusters, the beautiful yellowish orange-colored 
pilei overlapping each other. The species was first described by 
Schweinitz in 1822, in his Synopsis Fungorum Carolinz Superioris, and 
later in 1834, in his Synopsis Fungi Am. Bor. under the subgenus 
Clitocybe. As the subgenus is now generally kept distinct the name 
most commonly given to the fungus is Clitocybe ¿lludems Schweinitz, 
although some mycologists have doubts whether the species is strictly 
a Clitocybe as the genus is now understood. In several respects, 
Clitocybe tlludens has a strong resemblance to Agaricus olearius Pers., 
of southern Europe, which is now placed in the genus Pleurotus, al- 
though the stipe is hardly more lateral than is often the case with C. 
¿ludens. Both species resemble each other very much in color and 
general habit of growth and both are markedly phosphorescent. Z. 
olearius is more frequently found on the olive than on other trees, 
but it also occurs on Carpinus, Populus and some other trees. Like 
C. illudems it is also poisonous when eaten, producing nausea and 
vomiting and, it is said, purging. C. ¿//udens is considered to be a 
characteristic species of North America, and it is interesting to notice 
in how many respects it resembles 2. olearius. The toxicological 
action of the species is almost that of a pure emetic, acting shortly 
after ingestion and unlike the emesis caused by narcotic species, as 
Amanita phalloides, in which the action is secondary and does-not 
occur until eight or ten hours after eating. Nor in the case of C. 
illudens is the emesis accompanied by the acute gastric and intestinal 
disturbance found in poisonous fungi classed as irritants as distin- 
guished from narcotics. 
