White-spored Series 



It is to the luminosity of these mycelial threads, which per- 

 meate the decaying wood, that the weird phosphorescent light in 

 dense woods is due. 



GENUS LEPIOTA (See plate facing page 64) 



The members of this genus have the gills free from the stem, 

 and have no wrapper remains at the base of the stem. In some 

 species the cap or pileus has the surface scaly, owing to the rup- 

 ture of the fibres which compose it. It is this feature which has 

 suggested the name Lepiota, from the Latin word lepis — a scale. 

 There are about thirty 

 species represented 

 in the United States, 

 of which a few are 

 commonly eaten. 



Parasol Musli- 

 room ; Tail 

 Lepiota (Edi- 

 ble) 



Lepiota procera 



Cap or Pileus — Con- 

 vex, like an open 



umbrella. Thin, 



umbonate, cov- 

 ered with closely 



pressed scales. 



3-5 inches broad. 

 Stem or Stipe — Long, 



hollow, or with 



cottony pith; 



bulbous at the 



base ; usually 



covered with 



closely pressed 



scales. 5-1 o 



inches long. 

 Veil or Ri?ig — Thick 



and firm ; often 



movable on the 



stem. 



L^p-i-o'-ta 



Section of L. procera 

 Pr69'-f-ri 



63 



