Guide to the Mushruoms 21 



gin of the pileus lies very close to the stem. 

 In some si)eeies the cap simi)ly expands 

 without having the margin of the cap unit- 

 ed to the stem, but in a great many spe- 

 cies the distance between the stem and 

 cap is bridged by interlacing threads which 

 form a veil covering the gills. As the cap 

 exi)ands, the veil is torn and remains in 

 some form on the cap or stem or on both. 

 When the veil is verv delicate resenblina: a 

 spider's web, it is said to be arachnoid and 

 is also known as the cortina; if the veil 

 tears away from the stem but hangs in 

 flaky scales about the edge of the cap, it 

 is appendiculate; whenever the texture of 

 the veil is firm, it remains al)out the stem 

 forming the 



Annulus ok King which is sometimes 

 movable or free; fastened to the upper half 

 of the stem, superior; lower half, inferior. 

 Again the veil may he so delicate that it 

 quickly vanishes as the cap expands or is 

 evident only by a few fibres about the stem. 



VoLVA. — In addition to the cap, gills, 

 stem and ring, some mushrooms are enclos^ 

 ed in a cup-like receptacle attached to the 

 lower end of the stem known as the volva 



