10 



Saccardo places Bolbitius in his division Melanospoi'Be, although the 

 spores are ochraceous. 



In the section Pratelli Psalliota and Hypholoma contain mushrooms 

 which are of exceptionally fine flavor. In the first of these is found 

 the common field mushroom Agaricus campester and its allies. 



The black-spored section Coprinarii contains two genera which include 

 a few recorded edible species, viz., Coprinus and Gomphidius. The Psa- 

 thyrellas correspond in size to the Mycenas in the white-spored series 

 and to the Psathyras in the purjole-spored section ; the gills are free or 

 adnate and turn black when mature. None of the species are edible. 



In Paneolus the plants are somewhat viscid when moist, the gills are 

 described as " clouded, never becoming purple or brown." They are 

 usually found on manure heaps near cities. None are edible. 



Saccardo in his Sylloge combines the Pratellse and Coprinarii, making 

 of them one section which he calls MelanosporecB. 



G. Massee, the British mycologist, makes of the black-spored and the 

 purple and purplish-brown spored series two divisions, calling them, re- 

 spectively, Porphyro&porem and Melanosporeoe. 



The recorded edible species of the spore section Dermini are found 

 in Pholiota, Cortinarius, and Paxillus. The larger proportion of the 

 Pholiotas grow upon tree stumps. They have a fugacious, persistent 

 friable ring, and are liable to be confused with the Cortinarii, unless at- 

 tention is paid to the spidery veil and the iron-rust tint of the spores of 

 the latter. Only a few of the species are recorded as edible, but none 

 are known to be poisonous. Cortinarius is a large genus. It contains a 

 larger pi'Ojjortion of edible species than Pholiota, and none are recorded 

 as poisonous. The cobweb-like veil which extends from stem to margin 

 of cap in the young species, and the rust-colored spores which dust the 

 gills as the species mature, distinguish the genus from all others. 



A characteristic feature of Paxillus, and one which makes it easily dis- 

 tinguishable from others of the same group, is the ease with which the 

 gills as a whole can be separated from the substance or fleshy portion of 

 the cap. There is an exception to this in the species Paxillus involutus, 

 recorded by Peck as edible. 



POLYPOREI. 



Hymenium lining^ the cavity of tubes or pores which are sometimes 

 broken up into teeth or concentric plates. — Berkeley's Outlines. 



The plants of this second primary group or order of the family Hy- 

 menomj'cetes exhibit a greater dissimilarity of form and texture than do 

 those of the Agaricini. Some of its genera consist almost wholly of 

 coriaceous or woody plants. A few contain flesh}'^ ones. Some of the 

 species have a distinct stem, while others are stemless. With regard to the 

 receptacle in the plants of the genera Boletus, Stroblloniyces, etc., it forms 

 a perfect cap, like that of the common Agaric, a cushion of tubes taking 



