64 



STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



plants the margin is elevated. It is smooth throughout, and of a 

 soft, rich hair brown, or umber brown color, darker in the center. 

 Sometimes there is a decided but dull maize yellow tinge over the 

 larger part of the pileus, but even then the center is often brown 

 in color, shading into the yellow color toward the margin ; the light 

 yellow forms in age, often thinning out to a cream color. The flesh 

 of the pileus is rather thin, even in the center, and becomes very 

 thin toward the margin, as shown in Fig. 67. The scales on the 

 pileus are more or less flattened, rather thin, clearly separated from 

 the pileus, and easily removed. They are more or less angular, and 

 while elongated transversely at first, become nearly isodiametric as 



FIGURE 65. Amanita velatipes. Different stages of "buttons," in the right-hand 

 plant the upper part of the volva separating to form the scales (natural size). 

 Copyright. 



the pileus becomes fully expanded, passing from an elongated form 

 to rectangular, or sinuous in outline, the margin more or less upturned, 

 especially in age, when they begin to loosen and " peel " from the 

 surface of the cap. They are lighter in color than the pileus and I 

 have never observed the yellow tint in them. The gills are white, 

 broad at the middle, about i cm., and taper gradually toward each 

 end. The spores are usually inequilaterally oval, 8-10 x 6-7 /<, 

 granular when young, when mature with a large oil drop. 



The stem is cylindrical, somewhat bulbous, the bulb often taper- 

 ing abruptly, as shown in Figs. 64, 66. The stem is white, smooth, 

 or floccose scaly where the veil has been ripped off from it. It is 



