8 52 THE AGARICACEAE OF MICHIGAN 



and entire in the vomited matter after a mushroom feast — illness 

 ex abusu, a common form of spurious mushroom poisoning. 



Conclusions on White- Spored Genera 



Of some 50 families of Agarics about 23 are white-spored. More- 

 over, more than half of all species one finds belong to this section. 

 Though the most dangerous toadstools belong to the Leucosporae, 

 there are so many fine c ilibles that we do not wish to discard all 

 the white-sjjored species. If we are to eat fungi at all we must 

 expect to exercise discriminating observation on every specimen 

 intended for the table. In Amanita, the edible A. rubescens is no 

 harder to distinguish from the dangerous Amanitas than are 

 Lepiota naucina and many others. Mixed lots of many varieties 

 are a menace and should be used only by the trained student who 

 knows the qualities of each species in the collection. The number 

 of fatalities from fungi gathered by children tells its own story. 

 Cases among students of mycology have all been due to the milder 

 species, and have had the saving grace of adding real discoveries 

 or valuable information to our knowledge. If such cases are duly 

 published a real service and a duty are rendered to science. A 

 synopsis of white-spored species which are definitely deleterious 

 shows : About thirteen white Amanitas and a few nearer A. mus- 

 caria in their physiological action; one each in Amanitopsis, Lep- 

 iota and Tricholoma ; three Clitocybes; at least one (and perhaps 

 a half-dozen) in Lactarius; Russula uncertain. Lactarius and 

 Russula are closely related genera, and will require much more 

 investigation, both by eating and by laboratory studies, before the 

 properties of the species will be known. Species closely related 

 botanically are often widely separated toxicologically, and vice 

 versa. This is seen in the contrasting qualities of Amanita phal- 

 loides versus A. solitaria and A. rubescens; A. muscaria vs. A. 

 frost iana and A. cacsarea; Lepiota morgani vs. L. procera; Tricli- 

 oloma venenatum vs. T. terreum and others; Clitocybe illudens vs. 

 C. multiceps and others; Clitocybe dealbata vs. C. sudorifica; 

 Lactarius torminosus vs. L. vellereus and others. 



