Order Htmenomycetes. Tribe Pileati. 



Plate VIII. 



AGARICUS STYPTICUS, mm 



StyjMc Agaric. 

 Series Leucosporus. Sub-genus Pleuropus.' 



Spec. Cliar. Agaricus stypticus. Pileus from an inch to an inch and a half broad, between coriaceous 

 and fleshy, serai-orl)Lcular or kidney-shaped, the margin entire or lobed, involute ; epidermis pruinose or furfuraceous, 

 often zoned, varying in depth of colour, buff or pale. Veil none. Gills not truly decui-rent, branched, beautifully 

 connected by veins, pale cinnamon ; spores white. Stem about a quarter of an inch high, lateral, ascending, dilated 

 above, pruinose. Scentless, but leaving a most powerful burning astriugency in the mouth and fauces. 

 Agaeicus stypticus, BulUard, Berkeley, Fries. 



semipetiolatus, Schaffer. 



bctulinus, Bolton. 



flabellifonnis, Sowerhy, Withering. 



Hal. On various decaying woods. Common. October to April. 



If found growing on the horizontal extremity of a stump, solitary specimens of this pretty Agaric 

 are no longer reniform and "side-footed/' as when their development is impeded by a lateral position on 

 the wood, but the pileus assumes a regular orbicular form, depressed in the centre, and might easily be 

 supposed a different species ; flavour, however, will speedily determine the fact : that first organ of know- 

 ledge, the tongue, by which infancy tests and ascertains the nature of tilings, may often afterwards be 

 appealed to with success, when the judgment of the eye is at fault. We should be sorry to advise 

 swallowing as well as merely tasting, iu many cases, and tliis is one : Corda's account (in Krombholz) is 

 by no means encouraging to a timid expcrimentaUst. We think few would be inclined to make such personal 

 essays in the cause of science as the following describes : — " I cooked five ounces in butter. The taste was 

 so astringent, like ink, and burning, tliat I could hardly swallow it, without much chewing ; the burning 

 lasted above an hour in my throat, notwithstanding that I took everything sw"eet and sour that I could lay 

 my hands upon ; a quarter of an hour afterwards, considerable uneasiness of the stomach, and inclination to 

 reject its contents, prevailed, which ceased, however, without that effect, leaving great heat in the stomach, 

 which gradually subsided without further ill consequences." — Corcla in Kromhholz. 



Care must be taken by those whose books of reference are not quite modern, not to confound 

 together things essentially different. It is often really difficult to make out what was meant by the okler 

 authorities ; and as those mycological articles once treasured in the Materia Medica are now expunged from 



' From TrXfvpov, a side, and ttovs, afoot. Pileus excentric or lateral. Stem, when present, solid and firm. 

 Gills unequal, juiceless, uncliaiigeable, acute behind. Growing on trees or wood. 



