74 A CATALOGUE OF ESCULENT BRITISH FUNGI. 



Stem. Two to four inches high, tint of pileus, thickish, soft, 

 brittle, sericeous. Base bulbous. Ring superior, broad, pendulous, 

 reflexed, persistent. 



Section. Flesh white, thick, soft. Stem solid. Gills white, 

 numerous, broad, ventricose, free. Odourless. Taste pleasant. 

 Spores white. 



Obs. In chapter vii. I esteem it as a first-rate esculent. — IF. I). //. 



(41.) AaATlICUS MASTOIDEUS ; Lepiota mastoidea; The 

 Bossed Parasol. 



Habitat. In woods. Singly, or by twos and threes. 



Season. September and October. Not uncommon. 



Pileus. One to three inches across, drab, or buff : at first ovate, 

 then expanding, large umbo in depressed disc. Cuticle thin, 

 breaking up into small dark papillre. 



Stem. Three to four inches high, white or huffish, slender, 

 equally attenuate upwards, weak, villoso-squamose, bulbous below. 

 Ring entire, movable. 



Section. Flesh white, thickish, soft. Stem stuffed with cottony 



fibres. Gills yellowish white, narrow, remote. Odour faint. Taste 



pleasant. Spores white. 



Obs. In chapter vii. Good, but not so succulent or well-flavoured as some 

 of the others.— ir. T). II. 



(42.) AGARICUS NAUCINUS ; Lepiota nancina; The Short 

 Parasol, 



Habitat. Pastures, grass in woods. Solitary. 



Season. August to October. Uncommon. 



Pileus. One to three inches across, white or whitish tan ; at 

 first convex, obtuse, then expanded, depressed, and umbonate ; 

 smooth, soft, silky. Cuticle thin, becoming pfranular. 



Stem. One or two inches high, nearly white, attenuate, bulbous 

 below, fibrilloso. Ring large, thin, fugacious. 



Section. Flesh white, thick, soft, spongy. Stem stuffed with 



fibres, almost hollow. Gills pallid, becoming rosy, numerous, 



nnequal, free, but approximate. Odour mouldy. Taste agreeable. 



Spores white. 



Obi. It boars some resemblance to A. crctacous, owing to the short stem, 

 similar nito, and pink Rills, and is about equal to it in point of esculent merit. 

 But it is not often met with.— IF. D. II. 



