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There has been considerable confusion between the two Agarics Orcella 

 and Pr-unulus, some thinking that we have only OrceUa in England (Dr. 

 Badham) and others only Prunulus (Rev. M. J. Berkeley) and others again 

 that they are both the same Fungus differing only in size. Dr. Badham and 

 some others again confuse Prunulus with Gambosus, the Fungus of early spring, 

 and this has arisen from the French term " mousseron" being often applied to 

 both these Funguses — but they are so essentially different as not to be liable 

 in any way to be mistaken for each other. * 



Agaricus orcella and Ag. prunulus are both placed on the same page in this 

 illustration that their close alliance may be seen at a glance. Fries treats them as 

 separate Funguses " in deference to ancient authority, since their differences are 

 chiefly in degree." These differences are nevertheless so well marked that they are 

 kept separate here. Orcella is a smaller and more delicate fungus than Prunulus. 

 It is thinner and less fleshy, more undulated in its borders, and has a lighter and 

 more agreeable odour. Orcella grows in more open glades than Prunulus ; it is 

 usually much whiter in colour, sometimes in high situations white and glazed 

 as egg-shell, or even pottery. Orcella grows more solitarily than Prunulus, 

 in light scattered groups, showing an inclination for the neighbourhood of oak 

 trees, and where it does grow it may be found year after year in the same place, 

 but seldom more than two or three in a spot. This year, 1869, when Orcella 

 was pretty plentiful, Prunulus was not to be found in the situations where 

 it usually grows abundantly. 



Prunulus is the reverse of all this. It prefers more shaded places, is 

 larger, more fleshy, and with a strong odour rather heavy and overpowering. It 

 grows ii greater quantities together, and not unfrequently in crowded rings 

 from four to six feet in diameter. 



As Edible Funguses they should certainly be kept distinct. Orcella is 

 light and pleasant in odour, and excellent in flavour; it is so tender and 

 delicate as to be termed, not inaptly, "Vegetable Sweatbread." Prxmulus, on the 

 other hand, though always good, is to many people too strong in odour, and more 

 coarse in taste. 



OPINIONS ON THE MERITS OF AGARICUS ORCELLA AND AGARICUS 

 PRUNULUS AS EDIBLE FUNGUSES. 



"Senza dubbio uno de migUoii funghi indigeni." Vittadini. 



"A very delicate mushroom." Dr. Badham. 



" The flavour of orcella is very delicate, and equal to anything among 

 Funguses, or rather superior to the majority. The same remarks apply to 

 prunulus, wluch I think the same thing. It belongs to the ctlible Funguses." 



Edwin Lees. 



