626 THE AGARICACEAE OF MICHIGAN 



or -universal veil" is concrete with the pileus and does not split 

 or break to form a volva on the stern or to form superficial patches 

 on the cap. Sometimes it breaks away early at the base of the 

 stem and is pulled up on the stJem as the latter elongates, like a 

 movable ring, as in L. procera; then again it breaks away only 

 from the margin of the pileus, leaving a sheath on the stem termi- 

 nated above by a flaring margin, as in L. rugosa. The inner veil 

 is quite variable in texture, membranous to fibrillose, floccose or 

 granulose; sometimes the delicate structure soon disappears or is 

 washed away by the rain. The TASTE is mild, and all the large 

 species except the green-spored L. morgan i can be eaten with safety. 

 Some of the smaller species, like L. clypeolaria Fr., L. heluola 

 Bres. and L. charcarias are suspected. The SPORES are white in 

 mass (except one species) and varying in shape, usually longish, 

 sometimes subfusiform, often minute and then elliptical or ovate, 

 in a few cases somewhat angled ; they often mature slowly, so that 

 measurements must be made with care. 



Tbe genus can be divided into three natural groups with refer- 

 ence to the character of the cuticle of the pileus or of the veil; 

 these groups can be further subdivided into sections, as follows: 



A. Cuticle of pileus glutinous or viscid; trama of gills diver- 

 gent (= Limacella Earle) : 



I. Lubricae 

 II. Viscidae 



B. Cuticle dry; annulus terminating a sheath or such other 

 remnants of the veil as remain on the stem: 



III. Clypeolariae 

 IV. Asperae 

 V. Granulosae 



C. Cuticle dry; annulus independent, often movable; stem with- 

 out any other remains of the veil : 



VI. Subclypeolariae 

 VII. Procerae 



Key to the Species 

 (A) Pileus viscid. 



(a) Pileus small, 2-5 cm. broad, stem slender, 

 (b) Stem and pileus both very viscid or glutinous, white. 664 L 

 illinita Fr. 



(bb) Stem not viscid; pileus with a subviscid, thin separable pelli- 

 cle, tmged pink. 667. L. delicata Fr var 

 (aa) Pileus larger, 5-10 cm., and stem stout 



(b) Pileus whitish to pinkish-tan, slightly viscid; stem fibrillose- 



glabrescent. 666. L. fischeri sp nov 

 (bb) Pileus reddish-bay, viscid; stem scaly. 665. L. glioderma 



