176 FUNGUS-FLORA. 



flesh is thick, very fragile when thin, margin naked (except 

 in the first species. 



Young specimens are often fibrillose from the remains of 

 Jthe veil, and not from the torn cuticle. 



* Gills white or pallid, not becoming spotted with rufous 

 or grey. Smell often unpleasant. 



** Gills discoloured, becoming spotted with rufous or 

 .grey. 



IV. SERICELLA. 



Pileus (without a distinct pellicle) slightly silky at first ; 

 soon almost glabrous, very dry ; not moist, viscid, hygro- 

 phanous, not distinctly scaly. Pileus somewhat thin, 

 opaque, absorbing moisture, but the flesh resembles the gills 

 in colour, and is not hygrophanous. Flesh of stem entirely 

 fibrous, a character by which the smaller species that 

 resemble Collybia in habit, are distinguished. 



* Gills broad, rather thick, somewhat distant, strong- 

 scented. 



** Gills thin, crowded, narrow. Small ; inodorous. 



Series B. Pileus even, glabrous, not downy, nor scaly, 

 -not viscid, moist in rainy weather ; when quite young 

 -pruinose from the universal veil (but this character is not 

 always very conspicuous). Flesh soft, spongy or very thin, 

 watery and hygrophanous. 



V. GUTTATA.I 



Pileus fleshy, soft, fragile, marked with drop-like spots, 

 or rivulose; stem solid. 



Appearing in the spring, rarely obvious during the 

 .autumn, caespitose or growing in troops, often in circles. 



* Gills whitish. 



** Gills discoloured, rufous or smoky grey. 



