Agaricacese 



Lepiota. up of the cap surface. When young the gills are white or faintly yellow, 

 becoming pinkish or dull brown in age. The pinkish hue is not always 

 apparent. The outer edge of the veil or ring is thickest; usually it is 

 firmly attached to the stem, but movable rings are frequently noticed. 

 When the plant ages the ring is often missing, but traces of it are always 

 discernible. Stem rarely equal, often it is distinctly bulbous, generally 

 tapering upward from a more or less enlarged base, hollow when fully 

 grown, until then containing cottony fibers within the cavity or appearing 

 solid, 2-3 in. long, H /4 in. thick. 



Its habitat is similar to that of the common mushroom lawns, 

 pastures, grassy places though unlike the latter it is found in woods. 

 Until thoroughly acquainted with it, specimens found in woods and 

 supposed to be L. naucinoides should not be eaten. An Amanita might 

 be mistaken for it. It is readily distinguishable from the common 

 mushroom and its allies by the color of the gills and spores which are 

 white, and differences in stem and veil. 



It is found from July until after hard frosts. It was first reported 

 edible by Professor Peck in 1875, under the name of Agaricus naucinus. 



The L. naucinoides is rewarding the favor with which it has been 

 received as an esculent, it being equal to the common mushroom and 

 quite free from insects. Large crops of it are reported from all over the 

 country, and from many sections it is told of as a stranger. During 

 1897-98 the author has found it in plenty upon ground familiar to him 

 for years, upon which it had not previously shown itself. The common 

 mushroom must look to its laurels. 



Its cultivation as a marketable crop is possible and probable. 



L. cepSBSti'pes Sow. cepa, an onion; stipes, stem. (Plate XII, fig. 

 3, p. 32.) PileilS thin, at first ovate, then bell-shaped or expanded, 

 umbonate, soon adorned with numerous minute brownish scales, which 

 are often granular or mealy , folded into lines on the margin, white or 

 yellow, the umbo darker. Gills thin, close, free, white, becoming 

 dingy with age or in drying. Stem rather long, tapering toward 

 the apex, generally enlarged in the middle or near the base, hollow. 

 Ring thin, subpersistent. Spores subelliptical, with a single nucleus, 

 8-10x5-8/4. 



Plant often cespitose, 2-4 in. high. PileilS 1-2 in. broad. Stem 

 2-3 lines thick. 



46 



