CLAVIS AGARICINOUUM. 217 



yellow, becoming moist ; stem hollow, confluent with the hymenoplio- 

 rum ; gills becoming moist, but not deliquescent, at length losing their 

 colour and becoming powdery. — Hab. Dung or rank earth near towns. 



A very natural but small genus, intermediate between Agarkns and 

 Coprinns on one side, and Coprinus and Corthiarius on the other ; it 

 resembles Coprinus in its mode of growth, and ephemeral existence ; 

 the species have no known use. 



Genus IV. Cortinarius, Fr. Epicr. p. 255. — Spores rusty ochre, 

 resembling in colour peroxide of iron ; veil universal, of a different 

 texture from the pileus, and consisting of arachnoid threads : a similar 

 veil is found in Agaricus, but it is there either entire, partial, or con- 

 tinuous with the cuticle of pileus ; stem confluent with the liymeno- 

 phorum ; gills adnata, membranaceous, persistent, cinnamon-coloured 

 and powdery, trania floccose. — Hab. Woods and fields. 



This genus, the most natural amongst the Agariciiii, is readily dis- 

 tinguished by its peculiar habit, but is badly defined by artificial cha- 

 racters ; the species are variable in size and changeable in colour : when 

 old, they present a diff'erent appearance from their young state, and are 

 very different when dry to when fresh. It has been divided as follows : — 



Subgenus 1. Phlegmacidsi, Fr. Epicr. p. 356. — Pileus with a con- 

 tinuous pellicle, viscid when moist ; ved (and consequently the stem) 

 dry, not glutinous. 



Subgenus 2. MyXACitTM, Fr. Epicr. p. 273. — Pileus glutinous; veil 

 (and consequently the stem) viscid, polished when dry. 



Subgenus 3. Inoloma, Fr. Epicr. p. 278. — Pileus fleshy, subcom- 

 pact, perfectly dry, with no viscid pellicle, silky Avith scales, or innate 

 fibres, not hygrophanous ; stem bulbous. The species handsome and 

 easily distinguished. 



Subgenus 4. Dermocybe, Fr. Epicr. p. 283. — Pileus thin, but 

 fleshy, with no viscid pellicle, entirely dry, not hygrophanous, at first 

 clothed with a superficial down, then glabrous ; stem thin, somewhat 

 stuffed, equal or attenuated, not bulbous ; gills changeable in colour. 

 The species are polymorphous and defined with difficulty, in conse- 

 quence of the changeable colour of the gills. 



Subgenus 5. Telamohia, Fr. Epicr. p. 291. — Pileus moist, hygro- 

 phanous, at first glabrous or sprinkled with the arachnoid superficial 

 fibres of the veil, thin or moderately compact in the disk ; stem pero- 

 nate, and annulate from an inferior veil. Mostly large and handsome. 



