Order Htmenomycetes.' Tribe Pileati.'^ 



Plate XXIII. 



AGARICUS RUBESCENS, p.r.o.«. 



Reddening Fly Agaric. 



Series Leucosporus.* Sub-genus Amanita.* 



Sul-gen. Char. Amanita. Veil double ; one universal, covering the whole plant in a young state, distinct from 

 the epidennis, at length burst by the protrusion of the pileus, part remaining at the base of the stem, part either 

 falling off, or forming warts on the pileus ; the other veil partial, at first covering the gUls, and afterwards forming 

 a reflected sub-persistent ring on the top of the stipes. Stem stuffed, at length hollow, squamoso-fibriUose, thickened 

 at the base. Pileus with the disc fleshy, the margin thin, campanulate, then plane, viscid when moist. GiUs 

 attenuated behind, free, broader in front, ventricose, close, but little unequal. 



S])ec. Cliar. Agaeicus rubescexs. Pileus convex, then expanded and nearly plane, vinous-red, grejish- 

 bro\ni, or uicKning to buff, but mth more or less lake in the tints ; clothed with pale unequal mealy wai'ts, the 

 margin smooth and even, not striate, though in old specimens sometimes appearing so, in consequence of the backs 

 of the gOls shewing through the epidermis. Flesh tiuTiing red when bruised or pierced by insects. GUIs watery, 

 white, broad in fi-ont, narrow behind, adnexed to the stem, by a fine line. Stem stuffed with a cottony substance, 

 afterwards becoming hollow, bxdbous, attenuated upwards, scaly ; ring large, deflexed, patent, persistent. Pileus 

 from three to four inches broad, stem two to three inches high. Volva very fugacious (obliterated). 

 Hab. In woods, summer and autumn. 



To rescue merit from undeserved obloquy is always a praiseworthy undertaking ; but when the knight- 

 errant puts spear in rest to fight the battle of a pretender, his cliivalry, however easUy it may run away with 

 his better judgement, does not carry ours along with it. The Dulcineas of H Dottor Carlo Vittadini are of 

 doubtful reputation to begin with, and Agaricns rubescem, recommended and defended by his eloquent 

 enthusiasm, cooked, eaten, and pronounced "sano", can never be considered other than "sospetto"; an 

 esculent Agaric should be like Caesar's wife — above suspicion. That Vittadini ate tliis Agaric several times 

 without derangement of health is certain, but he might have done the same with Agaricus muscarius, its near 

 relative, which is not injurious in small quantities. A. vaginatus we have ourselves eaten with impunity, 

 taking only one for our share, whereas by appropriating several, their narcotic property, according to the 

 German authorities, might have produced alarm. An article of food cannot be considered wholesome, imless 



' From ii/xiji/, a viembrane, and iMVKrjs, z. fungus. ^ From^i7e«s, a cap. 



^ From XiVKOi, white, and anropos, a seed. * A name given to some Agaric by Galen. 



