306 FUNGUS-FLORA. 



Coprinus comatus, Fries, Epicr., p. 242 ; Cke., Hdbk., p. 224 ; 

 Cke., Illus., pi. 658. 



Amongst grass. Esculent. A very distinct species ; Co- 

 prinus ovatus, its nearest ally, is with us a rare species, dis- 

 tinguished by its smaller size, striate margin of the pileus, 

 and large, concentrically arranged scales on the pileus. 



Large, gregarious, not tufted. Pileus when young ob- 

 longo-cylindrical, at length conic-campanulate, 3-6 in. from 

 the base to the apex, white, the summit tinged with brown, 

 and the surface more or less covered with large shaggy 

 scales. As the plant grows old, the white colour gives place 

 to a shade of reddish-brown, and the lower part becomes so 

 thin that the lamellae are seen through its substance, of a 

 dull orange colour. Lamella free, contiguous to each other, 

 white, at length reddish-purple, in decay changing to black, 

 and deliquescing along with the pileus. Stipes smooth, 

 long, erect, cylindrical, white, with an annular movable 

 veil ; hollow, but with a cord of filaments in the cavity ; 

 somewhat bulbous at the base, and terminating below the 

 bulb in a short attenuated radicular process. A very hand- 

 some agaric, and very satisfactorily characterised ; indeed I 

 do not know any with which it can be confounded. In 

 decay, like all those of the division in which it is placed, it 

 melts into an inky black fluid. (Grev.) 



Coprinus ovatus. Schaeft'. 



Pileus about 2 in. across when expanded, ovate, then ex- 

 panded, at first covered with an even pale ochraceous cu- 

 ticle, which by the expansion and growth of the pileus 

 becomes broken up into large concentric scales, white be- 

 tween the scales, the apical portion remaining intact like 

 a cap, margin striate, flesh thin ; gills free, very distant 

 from the stem, lanceolate, about 2 lines broad, whitish then 

 blackish-umber ; stem 3-5 in. long, ^ in. thick or more at 

 the swollen base, slightly attenuated upwards, attenuated 

 into a rooting base, flocculose or fibrillose, white, hollow, 

 bulbous portion solid, ring deciduous ; spores 11-12 x 7-8 //. 



Coprinus ovatus, Fries, Epicr., p. 242 ; Cke., Hdbk., p. 224 ; 

 Cke., Illustr., pi. 659. 



Agaricus ovatus, Schaefier, Icon., t. 7. 



In pastures. Probably often passed over as Coprinus 



