DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



Fi:i. l-X—AGARICUS (PHOLIOTA) AUREUS, Matt. Var. HERE- 

 FURDENSIS, Reatuj. 



Pileus fleshy: hemispherical, then expanded, obtuse, rather velvet Uke, 

 pulverulent, or obsoletely squamulose, golden tutviii/. Stem stuffed, subequM, 

 smooth. Gills adnexed, ventricose. (Often confused with Arj. SpectabHis). 



The variety A{/. VnhJii has a smooth glabrous pileus with gills almost 

 free. It is a rare and beautiful plant, adds Fries, growing on rich grassy soil. 

 Its flesh moderately thin, at first white, then somewhat yellow. It scatters 

 spores most abundantly, .and the distant ring .and top of the stem become 

 covered with the dast. I have once seen it like a ball glued to the ground by 

 its mycelium. The ring is varialile, large, and marked with lines radiating, 

 and veinlike. Fries " Epicrisis. " Edit. alt. p. 214. No. 7Si. 



The variety AGARICUS HEREFORDENSIS, here figured, differs from 

 the above description by well marked characters, though no doubt can exist 

 that it must be referred to the species A UREUS. It approaches nearer to the 

 variety Vahlii than to the typical description by Fries. In the first 

 edition of the "Epicrisis" Ap. VaMii was considered as a distinct species, 

 but Fries has been since led to consider it a variety of Aureus, by finding 

 many specimens having intermediate characters. 



AGARICUS HEREFORDENSIS, has a pileus constantly smooth and 

 tkough with a dry and non-reflecting surface it can scarcely be called pul- 

 verulent. The stem is smooth, or slightly pulverulent above the ring and 

 paler, but from the laciniate margin of the ring downwards, in verticle lines 

 almost reaching to the base, it is marked by numerous small tubercles, some- 

 what prominent, and of a strong rufous golden tinge. The stem enlarges 

 downwards, and has commonly a more or less bulbous outline at the base. 

 The ring is very large and spreading. The gills are numerous, of a full yeUow 

 when young, and finally of the rich tawny colour of tlie pileus. The substance 

 of the whole plant was soft and spongy when compressed, but at the same 

 time elastic and firm. From the absence of juice the plant suffered little 

 decay for days after it was gathered. 



The specimen figured formed part of a noble group of seven or eight 

 pl.ants, varying in size, found by Mr. Renny growing in a plantation of Deodar 

 Cedars near the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Belmont, near Hereford, in 

 November, 1872. There were two or three other clusters and a few isolated 

 plants, in all about 20 specimens within a diameter of as many yards. It is 

 certainly one of the largest and most handsome of Agarics, and one plant 

 found had a pileus 8 inches in diameter supported on a stem 13 inches high. 



Fig. i—2.—AG. (COLLYBIA) CIBRHATUS, Schum. 



See Cooke's "Handbook of British Fungi." Vol. 1, p. i)7. No. 149; 

 and Fries "Epicrisis." Edit. alt. p. 119. No. 375. 



Many specimens of this elegant little Fungus were found growing in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the large group of Ag. Hercfordcnsis just described, 

 and by their very presence lead to the inference that this latter plant had 

 been growing there the previous year if it had been searched for. 



AGARICUS CIRRHATUS is certainly very rare in Herefordshire. 



