NATURAL HIST0R1 SI R 23 



b \\l. V. Cl w \i;l \i i. \i.. 



Plants fleshy, branched or simple; branches 



typically terete, not split tint;- Clavaria. 



Plants cartilaginous-gelatinous, horny when 



dry, simple or branched Calocera. 



Fam. VI. Tremellaceae. 



Plants spathulate or club-shaped, cartilagin- 

 ous-gelatinous Guepinia. 



Plants cupular, truncate or effused, oft en 

 papillose Exidia. 



Plants pulvinate or effused-cerebriform or 

 mesenteriform Tremella. 



AMANITA. 



Plants with a volva and annulus; hymenophore distincl from 

 the fleshy stem; lamellae free, adnexed, with a decurrenl tooth, 

 or slightly striate-decurrent. All growing on the ground. Spi i 

 white. 



Key to Chicago Species. 



Plant not changing color where wounded ] 



Plant changing color where wounded ii 



1. Volva splitting irregularly, border free. .1. phalloid* 



2. Volva circumseissile, breaking up into 



scales or rings : ; 



3. Spores ellipsoidal, pileus 5 to 10 cm. 



broad 1 . muscaria. 



Spores globose, pileus 2.5 to 5 cm. broad.. 1. Frostiana. 



4. Volva circumseissile, border nearly entire 5 



5. Base of stem not bulbous .1 . pantfu rina. 



Base of stem abruptly bulbous 1. abrupta. 



6. Volva wholly friable, often disappearing. . .1 . rubi scens. 



Amanita phalloides Fr. 



Pileus fleshy, ovate-campanulate then expanded, obtu 

 covered with a pellicle which is viscid in wet weather, naked or 

 with a few fragments of the volva upon its surface, margin even. 



Lamellae free, ventricose, white. 



Stem bulbous, stuffed then somewhat hollow, smooth, white 

 or pallid; ring superior, reflexed, white; volva splitting irregularly 

 at the apex, the border lax. Spores globose, 7 to 9 /*. 



Pileus 7.5 to 10 cm. broad, color white, grayish, olive or umber: 

 stem 7.5 to 12.5 cm. high, 1 cm. or more thick. 



Solitary. In woods throughout our district. Frequenl from 



July to September. Very poisonous. Several cases of fatal 

 poisoning have occurred near Chicago through mistaking it for 

 some edible species. Popularly known as the " Deadly Amanita." 

 (For a good account of the nature and treatment of Amanita 

 poisoning, see Carter, in Mcllvane, Am. bung. Ed. 2, p. 621. 

 For excellent figures of this and related specie-, see Atkinson, 

 Studies of American Fungi, p. 52.) 



