lieucosporss 



LEPIO'TA Fr. 



Lepis, a scale. 



Pileus generally scaly from the breaking up of the cuticle and the Lepiota. 

 adherence of the concrete veil. Grills free, often very distant from the 

 stem and attached to a cartilagi- ^m^ (Plate XI.) 



nous collar. Stem hollow or stuffed, 

 its flesh distinct from that of the 

 pileus. Ring at first attached to 

 the cuticle of the pileus, often mov- 

 able, sometimes evanescent. 



On the ground . Several are found 

 in hot-houses and hot-beds, and are 

 probably introduced species. 



The universal veil, covering the 

 entire plant when very young, is 

 closely applied to the pileus, which 

 from the breaking up of the cuticle 

 is generally scaly. The stem in 

 most species differs in substance 

 from the pileus. This is readily 

 seen by splitting the plant in half 

 from cap to base. It is easily sep- 

 arated from the cap, leaving a cup- 

 like depression therein. Gills usu- 

 ally white. In some species they are yellow-tinted. In others they 

 become a dingy red when wounded or ageing. 



The veil in this genus, being concrete with the cuticle of the pileus, 

 never appears as loose warts or patches, neither is there a volva as in 

 Amanita and Amanitopsis. These three genera are the only ones in 

 the white-spored series having gills free from the stem. In a few species 

 the gills are slightly attached to the stem, but are never decurrent upon 

 it as in Armillaria. When the plant is young it is egg-shaped. It then 

 gradually spreads, becomes convex, and opens until it is nearly flat, 

 with a knob in the center. 



The only species in this genus known to be poisonous to some persons 

 is L. Morgani Pk., which is distinguished by its green spores and white 



3 33 



SECTION OF LEPIOTA PROCERA. 



