312 FUNGUS-FLORA. 



Agaricus domesticus, Bolton, p. 26, pi. 26 ; Cooke, Illustr., 

 pi. 666 (partly after Bolton). 



The root consists of a great number of downy grey fibres, 

 some of which insinuate themselves into the substance of the 

 putrid wood, whereon it grows ; the rest crop like mouldiness 

 upon its surface. The plants most commonly grow in 

 bundles from the same root. 



The stem is white and shines with a silky gloss; it is 

 fistular, of a thin, light substance, the thickness of a goose- 

 quill, and three or four inches high; it easily divides in 

 white glittering filaments, and often abides after the pileus 

 is fallen. 



The curtain is extremely delicate, and vanishes as soon as 

 the rim of the pileus separates from the stem. 



The gills are in one series, numerous, broad, and deep ; at 

 first of a pale grey colour, but in decay dissolve in a black 

 inky liquor. 



The pileus is at first of an oval figure, and wrapped up in 

 a volva, which is peculiar to itself, and does not in- wrap at 

 the root. The volva is of a cottony substance, and a very 

 pale grey -brown colour ; as the pileus increases in bigness it 

 bursts in fragments, and remains like warts on the surface. 

 From an oval, the pileus changes to a conical figure ; the 

 margin undulated, next becomes bell-shaped, and at last 

 lacerates and dissolves. 



Grows on decaying pieces of moist wood, in cellars, cold 

 kitchens, &c., in plenty. (Bolton.) 



Coprinus flocculosus. Fr. 



Pileus 2-3 in. across, membranaceous, ovate then expanded, 

 dirty white, striate, covered with innate scales, splitting ; 

 gills free, narrow, subviolaceous, then brownish black ; stem 

 3 in. high, hollow, attenuated upwards, white, slightly 

 swollen at the base, smooth, silky, shining ; spores 10 x 7-8 p.. 



Coprinus flocculosus. Fries, Epicr., p. 245; B. & Br., Ann. 

 Is at. Hist., n. 926; Cke., Illustr., t. 667. 



In fields and gardens. Solitary or tufted ; stem often 

 with loose silky fibrils that soon disappear. Allied to 

 C. aratus and C. lagopus, but in the first the spores are 

 elliptic-fusiform, 15 x 10-11 /*, in the last named the disc of 

 the pileus is bright brown. 



