WIIIII-SPORBI) AGARICS. 53 



of the usually brilliant Lolorinij ot the cap in contrast with tlic white 

 stems and gills, and the usually white scales on tht- surface. It 

 usually ranges from lo-it; cm. high, and the cap from 8-12 cm. 

 broad, while the stem is 1-1.5 cm. in thickness, or the plant may 

 be considerably larger. 



The pileus passes from convex to expanded and nearly flat in age, 

 the margin when mature is marked by depressed lines forming par- 

 allel striations, and on the surface are numbers of scattered floccose 

 or rather compact scales, formed from the fragments of the upper 

 part of the volva or outer veil. These scales are usually white in 

 color and are quite easily removed, so that old plants are sometimes 

 quite free from them. The scales are sometimes yellowish in color. 

 The color of the pileus varies from yellow to orange, or even red, 

 the yellow color being more common. Late in the season the color 

 is paler, and in old plants also the color fades out, so that white 

 forms are sometimes found. Tlie flesh is white, sometimes yellowish 

 underneath the cuticle. The gills in typical forms are white, in 

 some forms accredited to this species they are yellowish. The stem 

 is cylindrical, hollow, or stuffed when young, and enlarged below 

 into a prominent bulb. It is white, covered with loose floccose 

 scales, or more or less lacerate or torn, and the lower part of the 

 stem and upper part of the bulb are marked usually by prominent 

 concentric scales forming interrupted rings. These are formed by 

 the splitting of the outer veil or volva, and form the remnants of the 

 volva present on the base of the stem. 



The main features in the development of the plant are shown in 

 Figs. 52-54, where a series from the button stage to the mature 

 plant is represented. In the youngest specimens the outline of the 

 bulb and the young convex or nearly globose cap are only seen, 

 and these are covered w ith the more or less floccose outer veil or 

 volva. The fungus threads composing this layer cease to grow, and 

 with the expansion of the cap and the elongation of the stem, the 

 volva is torn into patches. The upper and lower surface of the inner 

 veil is attached to the edge of the gills and to the outer surface of 

 the stem by loose threads, which are torn asunder as the pileus 

 expands. Floccose scales are thus left on the surface of the stem 

 below the annulus, as in the left hand plant of Fig. 53. The veil 

 remains attached longer to the gills and is first separated from the 

 stem. Again, as in the right hand plant, it may first be separated 

 from the gills when it is later ripped up from the stem. 



The fly agaric is one of the well known poisonous species and is 

 very widely distributed in this country, as well as in other parts of 



