20 AGARICINI. 



inferior, spread over lamellae or gills, which radiate from a 

 common center, each of which may be separated into two 

 plates." 



It includes the following genera, viz : 



1. Agaricus — Gills, not melting, edge acute ; including all the sub- 



genera which are elevated to the rank of a genus. 



2. Coprinus — Gills deliquescent, spores black. 



3. Bolbitius — Gills becoming moist ; spores colored. 



4. Cortinarius — Gills persistent ; veil spider-web like, spores remain- 



ing for a time on gills. 



5. Paxillus — Gills persistent, distinct from hymenophore. 



6. Gomphidius — Gills branched, pileus top shaped, spores fusiform. 



7. Hygrophorus — H3"menophores continuous with stem. 



8. Lactarius — Gills milky. 



9. Russula — Gills rigid, not milky. 



10. Cantharellus — Gills thick branched, obtuse edged. 



11. Trogia — Gills venose, forked ; edges channelled. 



12. Nyctalis — Gills fleshy, obtuse, often parasitic. 



13. Marasmius — H^-menium dry, lamellse thick. 



14. Lentinus — Pileus hard and tough, edge of gills serrated. 



15. Panus — Pileus tough, edge acute entire. 



16. Xerotus — Gills tough and forked, edge obtuse. 



17. Schizophyllum — Gills split longitudinally. 



18. Lenzites — Corky, gills anastomosing. 



Genus. — Agaricus. 



The name is said to be derived from Agaria, a region of 

 Sarmatia. 



This is the largest family of the natural order and is charac- 

 terized by the following distinguishing features : Gills mem- 

 branaceous, scissile, acute at the edge, persistent, not deliques- 

 cing. Veil various, but never in the form of a spider-web, when 

 universal. Spores falling off from the gills, not getting pulver- 

 ulent on gills. Fleshy or membranaceous, not reviving when 

 once dried up. 



The genus is divided into five series, which are determined 

 by the color of the spores, which are always constant in color, 



