22 



STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



layer remaining as a membrane, while the lower or outer layer is 

 split radially and remains in large patches on the lower surface of 

 the upper membrane. 



Agaricus (Psalliota) silvicola Vittad. Edible. The Agaricus silvicola 

 grows in woods, groves, etc., on the ground, and has been found also 

 in a newly made garden in the vicinity of trees near the woods. It 

 is an attractive plant because of its graceful habit and the delicate 



shades of yellow and 

 white. It ranges from 

 I0-20 cm. high, the 

 cap is 5-12 cm. broad 

 and the stem 6-10 

 mm. in thickness. 



The pileus becomes 

 convex, and expanded 

 or nearly flat, and 

 often with an elevation 

 or umbo in the center. 

 It is thin, smooth, 

 whitish and often 

 tinged more or less 

 deeply with yellow 

 (sulfur or ochraceous) 

 and is sometimes 

 tinged with pink in the 

 center. The flesh is 

 whitish or tinged with 

 pink. The gills when 

 very young are whitish, then pink, and finally dark brown or 

 blackish brown, much crowded, and distant from the stem. The 

 stem is long, nearly cylindrical, whitish, abruptly enlarged below 

 into a bulb. It is often yellowish below, and especially in drying 

 becomes stained with yellow. The ring is thin, membranaceous, 

 delicate, sometimes with broad, soft, floccose patches on the under 

 side. The ring usually appears single, but sometimes the veil is 

 seen to be double, and the outer or lower portion tends to split 

 radially as in A. arvensis or A. placomyces. This is well shown in 

 large specimens, and especially as the veil is stretched over the gills 

 as shown in Fig. 20. 



From the form of the plant as well as the peculiarities of the veil 

 in the larger specimens, it is related to A. arvensis and placomyces, 

 more closely to the former. It occurs during mid-summer and 



Figure 20. Agaricus silvicola, showing radiately 

 torn lower part of veil. (Natural size.) Copy- 

 right. 



