NATAL KAl'IR MUSIIEOOM. 287 



As far as I can find out the natives invariably know this 

 mushroom under the name " i-Kowe," and specimens which they 

 call " in-Kowaan " are referable to Agaricus campestris and the 

 closely allied A. jilacomyces. 



The term " in-KoivMin " correctly translated means " little 

 i-Kowe," as also the native name " in-Koivankowahe." 

 A mushroom given me under the latter name was A. campestris. 



The native names for mushrooms appear to' refer to size 

 rather than anything else. The name " i-Kowendhlovii, " means 

 the very large or elephant " i-Kowe," but I have not had such a 

 mushroom handed to me. ]\Ia.y be it is used in referring to an 

 especially large specimen of Schulzeria um-'koivaayi or is another 

 name used for this mushroom in certain parts of the country. 



I am told that " Kowe " means something spongy, and that 

 it is probably derived from the native word for ' ' spongy ' ' or 

 " springy." The " i-Kowe " now frequently finds a place on the 

 tables of Europeans and either fried in butter or stewed is much 

 appreciated and considered quite a delicacy. 



The most remarkable part about this mushroom is probabl}^ 

 its deeply rooted stalk, the imderground portion of which 

 is 25 cms. or more long, and usually thickens from its insertion 

 downwards to the ground level, and from here thins off again to 

 the apex. Its entire dimensions are 25 to 40 cms. long by 1'5 

 to 5 cms in diameter, and usually it is more or less curved. 

 It is solid within and tough. 



The cap is distinct from the stalk, circular, bell shaped in 

 young specimens, and very young specimens have a pronounced 

 club-shaped appearance. In diameter the cap usuallj' varies from 

 10 tO' 24 cms., and is white to' tan coloured, dull and smooth. 

 An umbo is present above the insertion of the stalk. The cap 

 frequently splits and the margin then turns upwards. 



The gills are free fi'om the stalk, white and up to 5 mm. 

 broad. The spores are hyaline under the microscope, grey in 

 spore print, elliptical, usually' obliquely apiculate, and measure 

 S'l fi to 5 fx by 7.5 fx to 10 fi\ the majority are about 8 ^ to 9 /x 

 long. In the original description there is no mention of the 

 apiculum to the spores. 



Radicating and deeply rooted stalks, such as are found in 

 SchvJzeria umkoiraan, are on the whole not common in the gill 

 fungi, though several species of the genus CoJhjhia have such 

 stalks. 



