THE WHITE-SPORED AGARICS 



41 



the remains of the 

 volva surrounds the 

 base of the stem in the 

 form of a cup. 



When the volva 

 first breaks at the 

 apex, it reveals the 

 point of the cap with 

 its beautiful red color 

 and in contrast with 

 the white volva makes 

 quite a pretty plant, 

 but with advancing 

 age the red or orange 

 red fades to a yellow. 

 In drying the speci- 

 mens the red often en- 

 tirely disappears. In 

 young, as well as in 

 old plants, the margin 

 is often prominently 

 marked with stria- 

 tions, as will be seen 

 in Figures 28 and 29. 

 The flesh of the plant 

 is white but more or 

 less stained with yel- 

 low next to the epi- 

 dermis and the gills, 

 which are of that 

 color. 



The plant grows in 

 wet weather from July 

 to October. It grows 

 in thin woods and 

 seems to prefer pine 

 woods and sandy soil. 



I have found it from the south tier of counties to the north of our state 

 however, a common plant in Ohio. 



From its several names Caesar's Agaric, Imperial Mushroom, Cibus Deorum, 

 Kaiserling one would infer that for ages it had been held in high esteem as an 

 esculent. 



Too great caution cannot be used in distinguishing it from the very poisonous 

 fly mushroom. 



Figure 28. Amanita caesarwu From a drawing showing the different 

 stages of the plant. Caps, gills, stem and collar yellow, volva white. 



It is not, 



