22 AGARICINI. 



Gills not decurrent, pileus campanulate, margin at first striate, 

 Campanulae. 



Gills decurrent, pileus umbilicate, Umbilicse. 



This is a very ingenious improvement on the old spore color arrange- 

 ment. 



The gills are not adnate to the stipe except in one species, 

 which is an Amanita with adnate gills. The gills are white, 

 except one species. 



This family is a very dangerous family on account of some 

 of the poisonous species it contains ; so it behooves us to get 

 well acquainted with the different species, for they are so 

 similar to the common edible mushroom that nearly all the 

 accidental poisoning occurs by the use of some species of 

 Amanita. 



The principal characters, by which to determine an Amanita 

 is, viz: 



First, the spores must be snow-white, to find which take a 

 fresh specimen, fully developed, cut the stem or remove it from 

 the socket, for it is distinct from the gills. Place the cap with 

 the gills downward on the surface of some dark glazed paper, 

 and you will soon have plenty of spores deposited in the form 

 of the radiate gills. Next make a section through cap and 

 stem, which will tell you the biological structure, whether 

 tough, brittle, or spongy ; also the character of the stem, fleshy 

 or cartilaginous, hollow or solid. The stem will give you the 

 best character, that is, the remains of the volva or universal 

 wrapper, which you will find at the base. Some parts of the 

 volva will also remain on the cap in the form of discrete warts. 

 In all Amanita look and study the volva carefully. By getting 

 acquainted with one good specimen for a type you will have 

 mastered the Amanita family. 



