456 



The Silky Volvaria (Edible) 

 Volvaria boiubycina (Pers.) Fries 



This beautiful mushroom is likely to be found in any locality, al- 

 though usually not manv specimens are found at a time. It grows on 

 decaying wood of logs, stumps, wounded trees, etc. It occurs most 

 frequently on maple and box-elder but occasionally it is found on 

 oak, beech, and other trees. It may be looked for from June to Octo- 

 ber but it is more likely to be found during the latter part of this pe- 

 riod. This is a very large and very attractive mushroom, occurring 

 usually. onlv one in a place, but sometimes two or more growing close 

 together. 



The cap is from 5 to 20 cm. (2 to 8 inches) broad, at first globose, 

 then bell-shaped and finally convex. It is of a beautiful wdiite color 

 and the entire surface is covered with numerous silky hairs which 

 stand out in the form of soft down. In older specimens the surface 

 mav become more or less scaly and may finally become smooth at the 

 apex. The flesh is white and not very thick. 



The gills are free from the stem, crowded close together, very 

 broad along the middle, and flesh-colored. They are often toothed or 

 ragged along the edge and do not extend (|uite to the margin of the 

 cap. The spores are rosy pink in mass. 



The stem is 7 to 15 cm. (3 tO' 6 inches) long, white in color, solid 

 and smooth, and tapers evenly from the base to the top. When the 

 mushroom grows on the top of a log the stem is straight, l)ut if it 

 grows on the side of a stum[) or tree-trunk the stem cur\es in such a 

 way as to bring the cap into a horizontal position. 



There is no ring but there is a volva. In this respect the genus 

 Volvaria corresponds with the genus Ainanitopsis, but it differs from 

 that genus in the color of the spores. The volva is very large and 

 thick and is usually somewhat sticky. The genus name Volvaria, 

 which means a wrapper, was originally gi\en to this plant because 

 of the large bag-like volva. 



Collected in Champaign county. 



