24 Bulletin 138. 



Amanita Phalloides Fr. 

 iyThe deadly a?najiita.) 



The third and last plant described here is one of the "deadly" 

 amanitas, the Amajiita phalloides. It is mentioned here not only 

 because it is probably responsible for a majority of the deaths from 

 eating mushrooms, but because by the novice it might well be taken 

 for either the Agaricus cainpestris or Lepiota naucina^ especially the 

 latter. It usually occurs in woods, while the two other plants here 

 described occur in open places. The Ainaiiila phalloides sometimes 

 occurs in borders of lawns near woods. I have this year, in the early 

 part of September, found four or five specimens of this deadly amanita 

 in the border of one of the lawns on the campus of Cornell University. 



One form of the plant is represented from a photograph in figure 1 06. 

 It is pure white and possesses an annulus or collar, but what is most 

 important the base of the stem rests in a eup-like envelope called the 

 volva* In this specimen the margin of the volva is cleft into three 

 parts which are somewhat spreading. This specimen was collected in 

 a beech woods along a damp ravine in the month of July. The veil 

 has separated by an even line from the margin of the pileus and hangs 

 as an annulus in the form of a broad collar from near the upper end 

 of the stem. 



The pileus in this form is smooth, viscid to the touch, and pure 

 white, as is also the annulus, stem and volva, though the latter is soiled 

 by particles of earth. The stem is nearly cylindrical, tapering slightly 

 from the bulbous base. It is hollow, or stufFtd with cottony mycelial 

 threads. The gills are usually pure white, even in age, and are nearly 

 free from the stem. When decaying the plant emits a very disagree- 

 able odor. 



Because this plant is sometimes found i;i lawns and in fields border- 

 ing on the woods great care should be exercised in the collection of 

 the Agaricus campestris and especially of the Lepiota naucina, to be 

 certain that a voha is not present on the lower end of the stem. 

 Until one is certain he knows the i)lant he is collecting, the plants 

 should not be picketl by simply taking liold of the pileus, but the stem 

 should be carefully dug up. In tlie case of some plants of Amanita 



"••■ Popular!}' termed the " poison-cup," " death-cup," etc. 



