Edible fungi. Carleton Rea. 39 



insidious poisons that only attack their victims some hours 

 after ingestion, and then only very rarely can any cure be 

 effected. The greater number of these poisonous Amanitae are 

 known by the large volva at the base of the stem, which the 

 American mycologists have so aptly termed the poison cup, and 

 it is absolutely necessary for the beginner to gather all his 

 specimens with this intact so that he can satisfy himself as to 

 its presence or absence. In Amanita muscaria the volva is 

 friable and does not form a distinct cup, but a very little 

 experience will enable one to recognize this species, and even 

 the dark umber forms can be easily distinguished by the yellow 

 flesh just below the epidermis. The danger in advocating the 

 use of Amanitopsis vaginata as an esculent is the fact that this 

 also has a free volva at the base, but it consists of a free, lax, 

 sheathing membrane, and there is no ring on the stem. One 

 must be very careful not to mix it up with Amanita pantherina, 

 in w^hich the ring is often evanescent, but the volva is quite 

 different and is not lax and sheathing. The pink-spored Vol- 

 variae, w^hich in form resemble Amanitopsis, should equally be 

 avoided. Rene Maire has recently proved that the African form 

 of Volvaria speciosa is edible though this fact remains to be 

 proved for it elsewhere. 



Tricholomas give us many delicious esculents, and amongst 

 these I can recommend T. portentosum, T. gamhosum, T. Georgii 

 and T. nudum as being a w^elcome addition to the evening meal, 

 but T. personatum and T. sordidiim I do not rate so highly. 

 Hypholoma appendiculatum, though of fragile consistency, is an 

 appetizing morsel and can often be collected in sufficient quan- 

 tity to form a dish. The large Clitocybes, C. nebularis, C. odor a, 

 C. viridis, C. geotropa, together with Cantharellns cibarius, 

 Hydnum repandum and PJwliota aegerita make very substantial 

 and enjoyable meals and I think many of the modern text books 

 do not attribute enough value to their nitrogenous qualities 

 or calorific worth, being led away by the fact that a number of 

 analyses show them to contain from eighty to ninety per cent, of 

 water. They seem to forget that we do not eat them in this state 

 any more than vegetables, but only after the same has been 

 dissipated by cooking. My daughter informs me that the 

 efficient cooking of these large fleshy species is greatly facilitated 

 by cutting them up into strips or slices. The smaller Clitocybes, 

 C. infundibuliformis, C. dealbata, C. fragrans and the poly- 

 morphous Laccaria laccata are tender and delicious esculents, 

 and the last is available for many months in the late summer 

 and autumn. Collybia velutipes generally does not grow in any 

 abundance until the night frosts are somewhat severe and 

 many times on Boxing Day I have gathered this tasty morsel. 



