CLASSIFICATION OP AGARICS ;i7 



surface of the pileus are continuous, as ii matures the tissue along 

 the margin of the pileus is differentiated and becomes looser bo 

 to appear superficial along the margin. 



Lying adjacenl to the cortina and continuous with ii on its 

 outer side, is a thin layer of tissue, inure Intimately woven to- 

 gether -sometimes almosl membranous -which is called the C/ni- 

 r< rsal Veil. It is presenl in a mure or less well-developed form in 

 some <>f the species of all the subgenera excepl Hydrocybe. In 

 Myxacium ii is composed of gelatinous hyphae and when i ■ i • • i -- 1 be 

 comes viscid or glutinous; ii envelops the young button below and 

 becomes continuous with the gelatinous layer of the pileus. In 

 Bulbopodium and Phlegmacium it is Bcarcelj or ool at nil gelatin- 

 ous l>nt fuses above with the gelatinous and similarly colored pellicle 

 hI' the pileus. In the other subgenera, when present, ii leaves shreds, 

 annular zones or a sheath on tin- stem and is dry ami silky woven. 

 Further descriptions of this veil are given under the subgenera. 



Tin- SL'OKKS arc of greal diagnostic value in this genus, si] 

 in the various species they differ sufficiently for use ;is ;i check i" 

 distinguish forms otherwise very similar. Some authors (Ricken, 

 Die Blatterpilze) have attempted to separate the sections! of some 

 of the subgenera on spore-characters. The marks which are aseful 

 are size, shape and the structure of the epispore. The color, al- 

 though not entirely uniform, cannol be used effectively. Their 

 size is mosi important. "There is ao'doubl thai tin- size of the 

 spores of a single individual varies, ami thai it varies when there 

 is every evidence thai the spores are mature. Bui thai tiny vary 

 within limits which are sufficiently constant, any one fan determine 

 I'm- himself*" (Kauffman, Bull. Torr. Bot. Club., Vol. 32, p. 313, 



190.").) Some species luve rel;iti\elv large SpOreS, 12-15 inicr. OT 



more in length, others are small, :'. •"> micr. in diam. Their Bhape 

 is elliptical, often almond-shaped 'i. e. inequilateral), oval or 

 spherical. The surface is usually covered with tubercular, some- 

 times spiny processes, which are xwy marked iii some Bpecies bul 

 are scarcelv evidenl in others; under the ordinary high power objec 



live of the microscope some appear to he quite si th, unless very 



highly magnified. In nsin^ this as a specific character, one must 



never lose Bighl of the fad that when young the epispore is -mouth. 



It is. therefore, necessary to compare tic spore-sizes given in the 

 text with spores which are mature. The BA8IDIA are also quite 

 constanl in size and shape for any species, and in bucd Bpe< 

 I have measured, their size is given. 

 The TASTE ol some species marks them clearly. In C. vibratilit, 



