CLASSIFICATION OP AGARICS 



spored group in the nature of the stem, the straight margin of the 

 young pileus and in the Blender habit; thej also correspond to 

 Nolanea of the pink-spored group. Their Bmall size, growth on 

 dung and Bcarcity in number makes them useless for food. 



The PILEUS is thin and membranous, either conical, oval or 

 elliptical when very young, becoming campanulate, or, in a few 

 Bpecies, expanded, li is bygrophanoua and in many species is 

 striatulate on the margin when moist. The color varies within nar- 

 now limits, mostly rusty, ochraceous, brownish, yellowish or whit- 

 ish; when dry they usually fade to a much paler shade. .Manv de 

 velop an atomate or delicate silky surface after losing their mi 

 ture, such "atoms" being due to microscopic ered cells. 



Tin- GILLS are never decurrent, bu1 are either narrowly adnate 

 or adnexed to the stem within the cone of the pileus. Thej are 



re generally narrow and linear, although some species pose 



Miiii-icosc, rather broad gills. Galera ovalis, described in European 

 works, has very broad gills, and seems to be a rarity with us, if it 

 is not entirely lacking. It has been reported from the United 

 states but may have been confused with others. Ricken omits it 

 from the list of German Galeras. The mature <;ills of tins genus 

 are usually a pale rusty-yellow which is a convenient mark of 

 recognition; sometimes this color shades into cinnamon. The edge 

 of the jjills is provided with microscopic sterile cells, in the first 

 section they have the shape of nine-pins or Indian clubs, with a 

 rounded knob at the apex, i. e., capitate, but with a more narrowed 

 base. These can scarcely be seen, unless a portion of a gill is 

 mounted sideways under the microscope. In the other groups, 

 these cells vary in shape from lanceolate t" filiform, ami are never 

 capitate. True cystidia are wanting. The trama of the gille 

 usually composed of large-celled hyphae, and a careful comparative 

 study may bring out good specific characters here. The STEM 

 is always slender, hollow, ami usually fragile. In some species, 

 however, it is toughish or flaccid as in certain Mycenas. in texture 

 it is somewhat cartilaginous. It is usually equal throughout but 

 species are known where a marked thickening occurs at the base 

 in the form of a bulb; others may develop a Blight bulblel or even 

 a lon«,' root like prolongation as in <;. antipus. The CORTIN \ 

 lacking in most or all of the section Conocephalae. In the second 



group there i- a delicate, lihrillose cortina which disappear- early. 



Another section, of which no examples are included below, includes 

 species which have a more highly developed superficial veil wh< 

 delicate remnants are visible after the pileus has expanded. Son i 



