MUSHEOOMS DEDICATED TO SAINTS. 229 



is a slight and insignificant species, though common enough. One 

 may well ask what poor St. Gerard has done that, of all the dung- 

 inhabiting fungi, this least attractive species should have been 

 allotted to him ! The fact is, it never was. The dung-fungus par 

 excellence is undoubtedly to be found in the Pratelle family, the 

 " common or garden mushrooms " of these happy islands. The 

 typical form is The White Pratelle, Agaricus (Psa.) campestris, and 

 this it is which best merits dedication to the saint. 



St. Ceolfrid's Mushroom. Saint's Day, Sept. 25th. This has 

 been translated as "the Great Boletus," which the floral calendarists 

 endeavour to identify as B. bovinus. But that species, though one 

 of the big Boleti, does not deserve to be called the Great Boletus. 

 Rather the title should be applied to B. elephantinus. However, 

 the latter is very seldom met with, and I think it more reasonable 

 to conclude that the most remarkable in appearance of the larger 

 Bolets is the true dedicated plant. The Orange Bolet, Boletus 

 versipellis, is at once indicated. By the way, can any one tell me 

 who St. Ceolfrid was, and why he has a mushroom at all ? 



St. Denis' Mushroom. Saint's Day, Oct. 9th. This was desig- 

 nated " Milky Agaric," and the sapient floral calendarists trium- 

 phantly point to Agaricus (My.) lacteus as fully answering to the 

 description. But that species is small, though common enough, 

 and has nothing to do with milkiness save in hue. It is evident 

 that a Lactar is meant, since Lactarius used to be confounded with 

 Agaricus. Let us therefore look among the Lactars most prevalent 

 about October 9th ; and, since St. Denis is the patron saint of 

 France, let us seek for that species most highly esteemed among 

 them in France. The Kidney, Lactarius volemus, answers to both 

 particulars, and I make no doubt it is the true consecrated plant. 



St. Luke's Mushroom. — Saint's Day, Oct. 18th. In spite of the 

 fact that the floral calendarists assert this to be the obscure and 

 unattractive Agaricus (Heb.) flocculosus, because it is named " the 

 Floccose Agaric " in their lists, I have no doubt or difficulty in 

 relegating it to the subgenus Lepiota. Of that family we must 

 take the common typical form as representing all, and The 

 Parasol, Agaricus (Lep.) procerus, becomes St. Luke's Mushroom 

 for us. This is far more worthy, and is certainly the floccose agaric 

 above all others. 



St. Marcellus' Mushroom. Saint's Day, Oct. 30th, Called the 

 " Fringed Agaric." The floral calendarists, pursuing their usual 

 method of identification, state this to be Agaricus (Pleur.) timbri- 



