118 FETCH: 



There are thus three layers to be taken into consideration in 

 estimating the former relative position of the tissues on the 

 pileus : — 



(1) The loose grayish universal veil, all of which remains at 

 the base of the stalk. 



(2) The brown outer layer of the pileus which never extends 

 beyond the margin of the young pileus, and later fails to grow 

 equally with the underlying tissues ; it remains as a brown, 

 almost cartilaginous, patch attached to the pileus only in the 

 centre. Berkeley supposed that this patch was a part of 

 the volva. 



(3) A brown floccose layer between (2) and the expanding 

 part of the pileus; this may remain beneath the brown patch, 

 or, especially in very rainy weather, is carried along by the 

 expanding pileus in the form of coarse warts. 



Anon-expanding outer layer of the pileus, exactly similar to 

 that of Ghitoniella poderes, occurs also in Lepiota alphitochroa, 

 B. & Br. ; this species, by the way, is a Psalliota, and is the 

 same as Psilocyhe cano-rubra, B. & Br. 



The stalk is 9-12 cms. long, 1^2 cm. thick at the base, 

 narrowing to two-thirds this diameter at the apex. It is 

 fawn coloured or ashy-brown, becoming red-brown or purple- 

 brown when handled, and is clothed with minute upwardly- 

 directed squamules. Above the veil it is white, smooth, and 

 shining. The base is somewhat bulbous, and the attachment 

 of the volva is marked by a distinct ridge. When cut longitudi- 

 nally the flesh of the stalk and pileus turns red, but a cross 

 section of the stalk turns first orange, and then changes 

 rapidly to red. The cavity of the stalk is partly stuffed with 

 shining white, silky, longitudinal fibres. 



The partial veil forms an ample curtain about 3 cms. deep. 

 It is thick, but fragile. The upper (inner) surface is white and 

 shining, and is continuous with the surface of the stalk above ; 

 the lower layers are usually split into thick brown-topped or 

 white warts. 



Most of the larger Ceylon Psalliotas have a veil of this type, 

 though in each species the variation is enormous. The partial 

 veil represents the tissue which lies between the gill chamber 



