343 



The genus Amanita presents an additional structure to 

 the ones above discussed and a character which is of vital 

 importance in discriminating this particular species. By 

 reference to Figure 2, this structure can be clearly seen. At 

 the base of the stem of the mature fungus appears a cup 

 with a somewhat irregular border ; this is called the volva 

 (uo) for in the young condition of the plant, the volva en- 

 velopes the entire fungus like a wrapper ; as the plant ex- 

 pands, the pileus pushes through this wrapper leaving its 

 remains in the form of a persistent cup at the base of the 

 stem. The species is a large one, often standing 8 to 10 inches 

 high, and with a pileus 5 to 8 inches across when fully ex- 

 panded. The pileus is of a bright reddish-yellow color, 

 sometimes fading to a paler yellow color when older ; the 

 pileus is smooth and is never adorned with shreddy frag- 

 ments of the volva ; the gills and stem are pale yellow and 

 there is a distinct veil which ultimately hangs like a skirt- 

 like annulus on the stem ; the distinctive character, however, 

 is the persistent cup at the base of the stem, in connection with 

 the combination of colors in pileus and gills above noted ; 

 if the cup (volva) is not present, the plant is not Csesar's 

 Amanita but is likely to be the fly-agaric which is poisonous ! 

 A tuhite species with such a persistent cup is likely to be the 

 white Amanita which is also poisonous ! No one, however^ 

 having once seen Ca3sar's Amanita with its bright orange or 

 reddish-yellow pileus and delicate pale yellow stem and 

 gills and distinct cup at the base could mistake it for any- 

 thing else. In order, however, to emphasize the contrast 

 between the two somewhat common members of the same 

 genus we will present them in parallel columns : — 



