164 



DIVISION 12.— MARASMIUS.— i'/'je*. 



Pileus, tough hut fleshy; tnargin, at Jirgt, involute; mycelium floccose. 



MIBASMIUS OBEADES.-FWm 



FAIRY-RING AGAR I C— SCOTCH BONNETS. 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERS. 



Pileus smooth, fleshy, convex, subumbonate, generally more or less com- 

 rressed or sinuate ; tough, coriaceous, elastic, -wrinkled : when water-soaked 

 brown, when dry of a buff or cream colour ; the umbo often remaining red 

 brown, as if scorched. 



Cfills free, distant, ventricose, of the same tint as the pileus but more pale. 



Stem equal, solid, twisted, very tough and fibrous, of a pale silky-white 

 colour. 



The Illustration shows a weU-gi-own full-sized Fairj^-ring Champignon 

 with others of younger growth. Below these, the sectioua giv^en represent all 

 the Funguses which in any way resemble M. Orcades, and in the forms in which 

 they do so most nearly. 



The ground coloiir of all is similar, but there is really no diflSculty in 

 distinguishing them. The stem of Agaricits dryophilus is quite hoUow, and it 

 grows most freely on lawns late in October and November when the M. Oreades 

 is over. The M. pcronatus grows chiefly in woods and has a flat pileus and 

 long silky hairs on and at the base of its stem ; and the M. urens the most 

 acrid of all, usually grows in woods though sometimes in the fairy-ring. 

 However, its flat top and narrow dark grey gills quickly becoming black, 

 cause it to be readily distinguished anywhere. 



The Fairy-ring Agaric is a valuable little fungus, and common on almost 

 every lawn. In hilly pastures it generally appears in broad brown patches, 

 either circular or forming a portion of a circle. 



OPINIONS ON THE MERITS OF MARASMIUS OREADES AS AN 

 EDIBLE FUNGUS. 



As far back as 1792, it is observed by Dr. Withering in his "British 

 Plants," that " this Agaric may be procured plentifully, and its fine flavour will 

 probably soon introduce it to our tables, particularly in catchups and in powder, 

 forms in which its toughness is no objection to its use." 



