22 Guide to the Mushrooms 



and from which the mushroom emerges. 

 This characteristic is very important as the 

 most poisonous varieties have the volva. 

 In appearance the volva may be entire like 

 a small cup in which the stem is set, and is 

 spoken of as free, or it may consist of con- 

 centric scales, very regularly arranged; 

 again the scales may be irregularly concen- 

 tric; or friable, crumbling at touch, or in 

 floccose scales, almost wanting. 



In gathering specimens, it is of the ut- 

 most importance, that the whole of the 

 stem is obtained, that the base may be ex- 

 amined for any trace of a volva. 



