White-spored Series 



Veil 



whether they grow down on the stem ; and whether the stem is 

 hollow, solid, or filled with web-like mycelium, and whether it is 

 fleshy or has a tough and hard rind. The lamellae may be of 

 different or of equal lengths, and their edges may be entire or 

 toothed or thin or blunt. 



To know a genus of the gill-bearing fungi, one must know 

 the cap, gills, stem, and habit of growth which characterise that 

 genus. 



A very young plant of the genus Amanita is enveloped in a 

 membranous wrapper. The relation of the young plant to the 

 wrapper will readily be understood by cutting 

 a young plant through its length. 



As the plant grows, the wrapper is ruptured, 

 a part is left at the base 

 to form a cup or sheath, 

 or a part maybe carried 

 up on the cap, to ap- 

 pear in small patches. 



The cap is, as a 

 rule, regular and 

 broadly convex. It may be almost 

 flat when mature. The stem has a 

 conspicuous collar and the gills are 

 free from the stem. 

 No less than twelve species of Amanita are dangerous or 

 suspected. Some are the most poison- Patches 

 ous of fungi, while others are most 

 highly esteemed for the table. Since Free 

 the most dan- 

 gerous species 

 belong to this 

 genus, it would 

 be better for the 

 amateur not to 

 eat of specimens 

 which have stalks 

 with a swollen base surrounded by a cup- 

 like or scaly envelope, especially if the gills are white. In gath- 

 ering all white-gilled species, care should be taken to get 



X-man'-l-t* 

 47 



Wrapper. 



Section of young plant in 

 wrapper 



Young plant in 

 wrapper 



Cap 



Stem 



..Volra 



Wrapper raptured 



A. muscaria (See Plate III.) 



