Agaricaceae 



B. VELIFORMES (velum, a veil; forma, form). Page 380. 



Coprinus. Pileus very thin without a skin, at length opening into furrows along 

 the backs of the gills and becoming folded in furrows. Stem thin, hol- 

 low. Gills wasting away into thin lines. 



* Cyclodei. Gr. a circle; appearance. Stem with a ring or volva. 



** Lanatuli lanatus, woolly. Pileus covered with superficial woolly 

 floccules, at length disappearing. Ringless. 



*** Furfurelli furfureus, branny. Pileus mealy or scurfy. Gills 

 generally attached to a collar at the apex of the stem. Ringless. 

 * **** Hemerobii. Gr. living a day. Pileus always smooth. 



None known to be edible. 



A. PELLICULO'SI. Cap becoming torn, edge turning upward, etc. 

 * Comati. Furnished witli a ring, etc. 



C. COma'tllS Fr. coma, hair. (Plate CIII.) Pileus 2-7 in. high, 

 white, fleshy, at first oblong, becoming bell-shaped, seldom expanded, 

 when in mature deliquescing state, splitting at the margin along the line 

 of the gills, the cuticle, except upon the apex, separating into shaggy, 

 often concentric scales, at times yellowish, at others tinged with pur- 

 plish-black. Gills free from the stem, crowded and at first cohering, 

 broad, white then tinged with pink or salmon color, then purple to 

 black and dissolving into ink. Stem up to 10 in. long, up to % in. 

 thick, attenuated upward, most part concealed within the cap, hollow, 

 but with spider-web threads within, smooth or fibrillose, white or lilac- 

 white, easily pulling out of cap, brittle. Ring thin, torn, sometimes 

 entire and movable. 



On rich soil, lawns, gardens, roads, dumps, especially where ashes 

 have been placed. Solitary or in large dense clusters. August until 

 after frost, but it is occasionally found during the spring months. 



Spores elliptical, black, 13-18^ long Peck. Almost black, elliptical, 

 13-18x7-8)". Massee; 1 1-13x6-81* K.; 15x8^ W.G.S. 



Var. brev'iceps Pk. Pileus before expansion subovate, shorter and 

 broader than in the typical form, 1.5-2.5 in. high. Dumping ground. 

 Albany. November. H. Neiman. Peck, 49th Rep. 



Coprinus comatus is common to the United States. In its perfection 

 it is a stately and beautiful plant. I have seen it with the oblong cap 



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