CLAVIS AGARICINORUM. 249 



to tlie absence of a trama. — Hab. Generally on trunks of trees, saw- 

 dust, etc., but some are terrestrial. 



Genus VII. Hygkophorus, Fr. Epicr. p. 320. — Spores white; veil, 

 when present, universal ; stem confluent with the hymenophorum ; gills 

 sharp-edged, trama simila.' in substance to that of the pileus. — Hab. 

 On the ground, mostly late in the autumn, some in the summer. 



Most of the species are handsome and easily recognized. From 

 Agariciis this genus differs in the trama, the substance of which is 

 similar to that of the pileus ; from Lactarius and Rmsula by the trama 

 not being vesicular, but subflocoose, and intermixed with granules ; 

 and from its nearest ally, CunthareUus, by the sharp-edged gills. 

 This genus is also distinguished by the hymenophorum being changed 

 into a waxy mass, and at length detached from the trama. Many 

 species are sapid and edible. In Cort'marins, Paxilliis, and Gomplii- 

 dius, the spores are coloured, and the gills lose their colour. 



Genus VIII. GoMPHiDius,Fr. Epicr. p. 3 19. — Spores large, fusiform 

 (often spuriously uniseptate, according to Fries), greenish -grey, becom- 

 ing black 3 veil universal, glutinous, terminated on the stem by a floc- 

 cose annulus ; pileus continuous with the stem, fleshy, convex, at 

 length top-shaped ; stem confluent vi^ith the hymenophorum ; gills 

 strongly decurrent, somewhat branched, soft, mucilaginous, often 

 spreading in a continuous membrane. — Hab. Growing on the ground, 

 chiefly in Pine woods, solitary, subpersistent. 



Principally distinguished by the mucilaginous nature of the gills. 

 Nearly allied to Cortinariiis, but at once distinguished by the shape 

 and colour of the spores, and from all the dark-purple and black- 

 spored Agarics by the compact pileus, etc. Properties unknown ; 

 none edible. 



Genus IX. Lactarius, Fr. Epicr. p. 333. — Spores white or very 

 pale yellow, generally echiuate ; veil none, but in some species the 

 margin of pileus is bearded or pubescent ; pileus fleshy, of a floccosc 

 or vesiculosa (not fibrous) texture, at length depressed in the disk, 

 margin at first involute ; stem fleshy, not corticate, often hollow when 

 old, confluent with the hymenophorum ; gills milky, in nearly all the 

 species at first white, often changing to sulplua--colour, red, or violet 

 on exposure to the air, subdecurrcnt, unequal, with an acute edge, 

 trama subvesiculose. — Hab. All grow on the ground. 



This genus is nearly allied to RiissuUi, but easily distinguished by 



