PAPERS OX BIOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE 123 



parts of the state for it is not a rare plant. So far as 

 I know, however, no report of its occurrence in the state 

 of Illinois has ever been published, and it is such a 

 unique and interesting species that the mere fact that 

 it occurs in the state is worth reporting. 



The fruit body looks like a puffball and is usually from 

 Yo in. to 2 in. in diameter. It varies from spherical to 

 top shaped and is whitish or gray in color. It has a 

 short stem which continues clear through the plant as a 

 columella. It grows in pastures and other grassy places 

 and may be looked for throughout the summer from May 

 to October, though it is most likely to be found in August 

 and September. It appears to be widely distributed, col- 

 lections having been made on all continents with the pos- 

 sible exception of South America. There seems to be no 

 report as to its edibility though I have no doubt that it 

 is perfectly wholesome at any stage before the spores 

 begin to ripen. 



This plant has usually been classified along ^^ith the 

 puff balls, but Conard (1) has shown that its relation- 

 ships are rather with the Agaricaceae. Its early de- 

 velopmental stages are similar to those of various mem- 

 bers of the genus Psaliota which have been studied, and 

 the mature fruit body is simply an Agaric that has 

 failed to expand. Conard suggests that Secotium agari- 

 coides should be classified in the Agaricaceae close to the 

 genus Psaliota. 



AMAXITOPSIS ADNATA VAR. ALBA. 



Late in September, 1921, Mr. Harold V. Scott of Mon- 

 mouth, Illinois, sent me some specimens of Amanitopsis 

 that differed in certain respects from any I had seen be- 

 fore. The cap was 4 to 6 cm. broad, white, smooth, but 

 often with patches of the universal veil clinging to it, 

 and had an even margin. The flesh was fairly thick 

 and firm. The gills were adnate and rather close. The 

 stem was from 5 to 6 cm. long, about 1 cm. thick and 

 nearly smooth, but somewhat fibrilose below. The volva 

 was very conspicuous and similar to that of Amanita 

 verna. There was no sign of an inner veil so that there 



