AGARICS WITH BLACK SPORES 



tures, almost invariably on the under side of 

 the pileus, the surface layer of which con- 

 stitutes the spore-bearing surface, or hy- 

 menium. The gills radiate from a stem 

 which is central, or sometimes excentric. 

 In this family the parasol shape is the most 

 common, and the spores may be black 

 (purple-black or brown-black), ochraceous, 

 pink, or white. The Agaricacece constitute 

 the majority of the conspicuous fleshy fungi. 

 More than five thousand species have been 

 described. It is not possible in this account 

 to mention all of the important genera which 

 contain edible species, but a few of the more 

 important of both the black and the white 

 spored genera will be described. 



Agarics v^ith Black Spores 



Agaricus campestris. It is rather gener- 

 ally maintained that the only species of 

 mushroom in cultivation is Agaricus cam- 

 pestris, and doubtless this species is more 

 commonly cultivated than any other. How- 



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