FUNGI: GILL FUNGI 



325 



becomes stretched, breaks away from the margin of the cap, 

 and is left as a collar or ring on the stem. The gills are 

 first pink, then become dark brown or blackish as the spores 

 with brown walls ripen. The spores then fall from the gills. 

 Under favorable conditions these spores germinate and produce 

 more mycelium and spawn. 

 Besides the common mush- 

 room there are several hun- 

 dred edible ones in many 

 genera but they cannot be 

 discussed here. 



477. Some poisonous 

 mushrooms. The most 

 dangerous poisonous mush- 

 rooms belong to the genus 

 A ma nit a . T he genu s A m a nita 

 has white spores, a cap, stem, 

 and ring which comes from 

 the veil as in the common 

 mushroom. The gills are free 

 from the stem or lightly at- 

 tached and the stem is usu- 

 ally easily separable from the 

 cap. In addition there is 

 present a distinct envelope, 

 surrounding the entire plant 

 in the young or button stage, 

 known as the volva, which 

 should be clearly understood 

 in its different forms in order 

 to be sure of the genus. Only three forms of the volva will 

 be described here in the following species. Amanita phalloides, 

 and its forms or closely related species, is the most dangerous 

 one, being " deadly " poisonous. The species in its typical 

 form in Europe has a greenish or greenish-brown pileus. The 

 volva splits at the apex as the plant emerges and is left as a 



Fig. 286. 



A poisonous mushroom (Amanita mappa), 

 cap pale yellow with patches of a delicate, 

 floccose, pale brownish substance; veil, stem 

 and gills white; under-surfuce of veil sometimes 

 very pale lemon yellow; upper portion of bulb 

 saucer shaped. X i diameter. 



