2 FUNGI. [Agaricus. 



7>.l99 ; (ivrong synonyms). — A. vernalis, Bolt. t. 48. — A. musca- 

 riiis, Sow. t. 2S6.Jiy. sin. — var. 3. Purt. v. 3. p. 201. — A. verru- 

 cosus, Curt. FL Lo7id. t. 3\2.Jig. dext. 



Woods and borders of woods. Aug. — Nov. Not uncommon. — Pileus 

 2 — 3 inches broad, fleshy, at first subbemispherical, then expanded or 

 even slightly depressed, sometimes slightly umbonate, irregularly scaly 

 from the fragments of the volva adhering to the shining surface which 

 is slimy when moist ; the margin quite even and free from striae ; 

 white, straw-coloured, olive-green with brown markings, &c. Gills 

 numerous, unequal, ventricose, broader in front, pure white, subadnexed, 

 sometimes quite free ; when young covered with a membrane which in 

 the course of expansion either falls off or forms a deflexed ring. Stem 

 3 — 4 inches high, half an inch thick, fibrillose with a few adpressed 

 scales arising from the partial ring which was at first in contact with it, 

 attenuated upwards, bulbous below and there furnished with a variously 

 lobed volva which is adnate with the base of the stipes, but has the 

 margin free and more or less expanded, in general hollow at the apex 

 or for some distance down, though occasionally the inner substance is 

 only a little more spongy than the outer, varying much in size and colour 

 and degree of scaliness, and according to Fries in the manner of adher- 

 ence of the volva. When fresh it has a powerful but not disagreeable 

 smell ; when past maturity, its odour becomes almost insupportable. 

 Accounted highly poisonous, especially the yellow variety. — Small 

 specimens of the white variety are with great difficulty distinguished 

 from A. vernus. Though it has a strong fungus-like smell, it has not 

 when fresh the foetid odour, which is the distinguishing mark of that 

 species. Fries in his Elenchus adds another distinctive character, 

 namely, that A.phalloides has the pileus at first convex, then plane ; 

 whereas, in A. vermis the pileus is at first conico-campanulate, then 

 expanded. This is not however expressed in BuUiard's figure, and I 

 have seen the pileus o^ A. phalloides ovate 'when young. I have never 

 met with specimens which agree with A. vernus. In all, however 

 variable in size and colour, and the degree of hollowness of the stem, 

 the gills are broadest in front, whereas Fries describes and Bulliard 

 figures the gills as lanceolate. Bolton's figure certainly belongs to 

 A. phalloides, though it is probable from his remarks that he had met 

 with the true A. vernus. — In the new edition of Withering, Sowerby's 

 A. bulhosus is quoted under this species, with which it has nothing in 

 common except the name. This is by no means the only instance of 

 such a loose manner of compilation. 



** Volva loose, margin of the pileus striate. Escident.^ 



2. A. vagindtus, Bull, {sheathed Agaric); margin of the 

 pileus silicate, gills white, stenx fistulose with cottony pith, 

 attenuated upwards almost smooth, volva like a sheath. BidL 

 ^.512. 98. Tratt. Fung. Aust. t. 13. 7i. 23. Fr. S?/si. Myc. v. 

 1. p. 14. — A. pulvinatus, Bolt. t. 49. With. ed. 7. v. 4. p. 205.^.— 

 A. trilobus, Bolt. t. 38./. 2. — A. plumbeus, With. I. c. p. 220.— 

 A. hadius^ With. I. c. p. 208. — A. muscarius, var. 6. Purt. v. 3. 

 p. 203. 



' To this division belong A. ovoides and A. CcEsareit», whieh appear to be 

 the best of all the esculent Agarics. 



