HYPORHODII. 



from the epidermis of the pileus (constituting a volva). Hymen- Volvaria. 

 ophore distinct from the stem. The Volvarise are as it were 

 Amanitas with rosy spores, but they 

 are more nearly related to the Plutei 

 and the Psalliotae. Gills rounded be- 

 hind and free, ventricose. Fr. Hym. 

 Eur. p. 182. 



Volvaria corresponds with Ama- 

 nita. The species appear early in the 

 year. They grow chiefly on rotten 

 wood or in rich mould or manured 

 ground; hence they are more frequent 

 in gardens, hothouses, &c., than in 

 woods. Some are said to be edible, 

 but they soon acquire a disagreeable 

 taste from the rapidity with which 

 they decay. 



* Pileus dry, silky or fibrillose. 



** Pileus more or less viscous and smooth. 



XII. Agaricus (Volvaria) vol- 

 uaceus. One-fifth natural size. 



* Piletis dry, silky orfibrillose. 



400. A. bombycinus Schseff. Pileus 7.5-20 cent. (3-8 in.) 

 broad, wholly white, fleshy, soft, at first globose, soon campan- 

 ulate, at length convex, somewhat umbonate, everywhere silky- 

 or, when older, squamuloso-villous^ more rarely becoming smooth 

 at the vertex; flesh not thick, white. Stem 7.5-15 cent. (3-6 in.) 

 long, 12 mm. ()4 in.) thick or more at the base, solid, equally 

 attenuated from the base to the apex, even, smooth, white. Vol- 

 va soon torn asunder, ample, 5-7.5 cent. (2-3 in.) broad, mem- 

 branaceous, lax, laciniate, somewhat viscid, persistent. Gills free, 

 very crowded when young, almost cohering, ventricose, in groups 

 of 2-4, then toothed, flesh-coloured. 



Ovate when young. According to some becoming fuscous. The stem is 

 curved-ascending on vertical trunks and straight on prostrate ones. Com- 

 monly solitary, sometimes however caespitose. 



On decayed wood, stumps, &c. Rare. Aug.-Sept. 



Spores elliptic. Considered edible. Name bombyx, silk. Silky. Schceff. t. 

 98. Fr. Monogr. i. p. 259. Hym. Eur. p. 182. Berk. Out. p. 139. t. j.f. 

 i. C. Hbk. n. 231. Illust. PL 293. Krombh. t. 23. /. 15-21. Brig. t. 34. 

 /. 1-6. Barla t. 25. /. 1-5. Mich. N. gen. t. 76. /. 2. 



401. A. volvaceus Bull. Pileus 7.5 cent. (3 in.) broad, rarely 

 more, cinereous, black-streaked with adpressed fibrils, campan- 

 ulate then expanded, obtuse. Stem 7.5-12.5 cent. (3-5 in.) long, 



