GUIDE TO THE MODELS OF FUNGI. 



19 



being usually only one or two inches in length, and generally three 

 or four times as thick. 



31. Agaricus dryophilus Bull.— Pileus slightly fleshy, tough, con- 

 vexo-plane, usually depressed in the centre, margin at first inflexed ; 

 flesh white ; gills almost free, but slightly sinuate, crowded, narrow,^ 

 white, sometimes becoming sulphur-yellow ; stalk cartilaginous, 

 hollow, and more or less inflated (sometimes decumbent), smooth, 

 rooting, often becoming yellow. 



Very common among leaves in woods, parks, gardens, and 

 hedgesides, where it grows at all seasons except mid-winter, in a 

 solitary or gregarious manner; it is variable in colour, though usually 

 some shade of livid brown or rufous. It is not edible. 



Sub-genus 7. Mycena. — There are about eighty British species of 

 Mycena, of which four are represented by models ; most of the species 

 are small, some minute, all are beautiful. 

 The species of Mycena usually grow 

 upon stumps, often in clusters ; the pilei 

 are generally convex, the stalks attenuated 

 and fragile, and the gills non-decurrent, 

 ]\Iost of the species are scentless, but some 

 possess a strong alkaline odour or an odour 

 of radish. Three of the milky Mycence 

 exude pale or blood-red juice, one saffron- 

 crimson juice, one yellow, and two a white 

 juice like milk. 



In Mycena the pileus is commonly um- 

 bonate and never involute at the margin 

 as in Collybia; some of the species are 

 highly fragile and fugitive, others are firmer Fig. n.— Type form of Mj-cena. 

 and more persistent. They all grow in fdnT^;iLSat3"s1ze.f ' 

 autumn and early winter. 



32. Agaricus purus Pers. — Pileus campanulate, then expanded, 

 at length plane, umbonate, striate at margin, rose-coloured, varying to 

 purple, lilac, violet, bluish-grey, white, or yellowish, highly brittle 

 and semi-transparent ; gills adnate, broad, ventricose, connected by 

 a network of veins, pallid or whitish ; stalk hollow, somewhat tough 

 and rigid, smooth, same colour as pileus, and villoso-fibrillose at the 

 base. 



A. purus is extremely common in woods, hedgesides, and pas- 

 tures from midsummer till early winter; it is a very variable but 

 well-marked and easily recognised species. The taste and smell are 

 faint and resemble radish. 



2^7,. Agaricus polygrammus Bull. — Pileus conical, then campanu- 

 late, slightly umbonate, dry and smooth, striate, with the margin 

 frequently toothed, fuscous grey, livid, dull yellow, or rarely shining 



