AGARICUS. 



ORDER I.— AGARICINL 



In the Agaricini the hymenium is spread over lamellse or gills, 

 which radiate from a centre or stem. The gills are composed of 

 a double membrane, and are simple or branched. No type in the 

 vegetable world has shown greater diversity of form. 



Genus I. — Agaricus L. 



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

 matia.) — The following are the distinguishing features of this 

 large genus : Gills membranaceous, scissile, acute at the edge, 

 persistent, concrete by the somewhat floccose trama with the 

 inferior hymenophore. Veil various, but never in the form of a 

 spider-web when universal. Spores separating from the sporo- 

 phores, and falling off, hence the gills are not cinnamon-pulver- 

 ulent as in the Cortinarii. Fleshy or j?tenibra?iaceoiis, putrescent 

 ajid not revivi7ig when once dried 2ip. Fr. Hyin. Fur. p. 17. 



The genus Agaricus is divided into five series, which are de- 

 termined by the colour of the spores. These are white, pink, 

 brown, purple, and black. The white-spored species are the high- 

 est in type, being firmer and more persistent than those which 

 have coloured spores. In these last there is a greater tendency to 

 deliquesce, especially in the case of the black-spored Agarics. 



Series I. LEUCOSPORI (Xew/cd?, white, aTrSpos, seed). Spores 

 white, rarely whitish (dingy or inclining to reddish), globose, 



ovate or oblong, simple, even, very 

 rarely rough. Fr. Hyni. E2ir. p. 17. 



Subgenus I. AMANITA (a name 

 given to some esculent fungi by Galen, 

 perhaps from Mount Amanus.) Fr. 

 Syst. Myc. i. p. 12. Universal veil 

 {volvd) which is at first continuous 

 (completely enveloping the young 

 plant) distinct from the epidermis of 

 the pileus. Hymenophore distinct 

 from the stem. All growing o?i the 

 ground. Fr. Hy?n. Eur. p. 17. Some 

 of the Amanitas are edible, others 

 very poisonous. 



/. Aga ricus (A ma nit a ) in nscariits . 

 One-quarter natural size. 



A. Ring manifest, superior. 



* Volva bursting at the top or splitting all round, leaving a free peisistent 

 border at the base. Whole fundus at first enclosed in the volva, which is con- 



