14 AGARICUS. 



Lepiota. In woods, chiefly fir, and pastures. Common. July-Oct. 



Epidermis of pileus resembling brown shaggy leather. M.J.B. Spores 

 sphaeroid-ellipsoid or subellipsoid, 14-22x10-12 mk. K, 16-18x10-12 mk. 

 B. 3Xi6mk. W.G.S. Edible (Clus. Esc. gen. 18 c.) ; one of the most deli- 

 cate species, although the flesh is slightly tough. It makes exceedingly good 

 ketchup. Celebrated in Italy and France as an edible species, but reckoned 

 by some to be inferior to the common mushroom (A. campestris). Name 

 procerus, tall. Known as the " parasol mushroom," from its shape and prob- 

 ably from the ring being movable like that of an umbrella-stick. Scop. Cam. 

 p. 418. Fr. Monogr. i. p. 19. Hym. Eur. p. 29. Sverig. alt. Sv. t. 3. 

 Berk. Out. p. 92. C. Hbk. n. 16. Ilhist. PL 21. S. Mycol. Scot. n. 14. 

 Schceff. t. 22, 23. Fl. Dan. t. 772. Curt. Lond. t. 169. Sow. t. 190. Badh. 

 t. 2. Hussey \. t. 88. Bull. t. 78, 583. Krombh. t. 24. /. 1-12. Hartz. t. 

 46. Vivian t. 8. Vittad. t. 24. 



19. A. rachodes Vitt. Pileus very fleshy, but very soft when 

 full grown, globose then flattened or depressed, at first incrusted 

 with a thick, rigid, even, very smooth, bay-brown, wholly continu- 

 ous cuticle, which remains entire at the disc but otherwise soon 

 becomes elegantly reticulated with cracks ; these very readily 

 separate into persistent, polygonal, concentric scales, which are 

 revolute at the margin and attached to the surface with beautifully 

 radiating fibres, the surface remaining coarsely fibrilloso-tomen- 

 tose; flesh white, immediately becoming sajfr on-red when broken, 

 easily separating from the apex of the distinct stem, which is 

 encircled with a prominent collar. Stem stout, at the first 

 marginato-bulbous ; conical when young, then elongated, attenu- 

 ated upwards, as much as a span long, very robust, 2.5 cent, (i in.) 

 thick, and more at the base, always even, and without a trace of 

 scales or even of fibrils although the appearance is obsoletely 

 silky, wholly whitish, hollow within, stuffed with spider-web 

 threads, the walls remarkably and coarsely fibrous. Ring mov- 

 able, adhering longer to the margin of the pileus than to the apex 

 of the stem, hence rayed with fibres at the circumference, clothed 

 beneath with one or two zones of scales. Gills very remote, 

 lanceolate or ventricose at the middle, crowded, whitish, some- 

 times reddening. 



The pileus is tomentose and whitish under the cuticle. The margin of the 

 bulb quickly vanishes. The ring, like that of A. (Psalliota) arvensis, is as it 

 were duplicate. Gregarious, 2-3 individuals often connate at the base. A 

 variety occurs in hothouses. 



In woods, chiefly fir, old thatch, &c. Frequent. Aug.-Nov. 



Easily distinguished from A. procerus by its more globose pileus, by the 

 deeper and softer covering, and by the flesh becoming saffron-red. Reckoned 

 edible. Spores ovoid-ellipsoid, 10-12 x 6-7 mk. K.; 6x8 mk. W.G.S. 

 Name pcueo?, a ragged, tattered garment. From the ragged covering of the 

 pileus. Vittad. Fung. mang. p. 158. t. 20. Fr. Monogr. i. p. 20. Hym. 

 Eur. p. 29. Berk. Out. p. 92. /. 3. f. 6. C. Hbk. n. 17. Illust. PL 22. S. 

 Mycol. Scot. n. 15. Hussey ii. t. 38. Price f. 104. 



