Report of the Botaihst. 67 



when dry {hygroplianous), and in sncli species, in the moist 

 state, tine, radiating, parallel lines may sf)nietimes be seen on the 

 margin {striatnlate). The Agaricini comprise by far the greater 

 number of the larger, conspicuous, umbraculiform, Hesliy fungi. 

 Individual plants are generally of short duration, growing up 

 in a few hours or days, and decaying as rapidly as they grow. 

 They are more abundant toward the end of the season than in 

 the beginning, and in wet weather than in dry. In long con- 

 tinued dr}^ weather, almost none can be found unless they be 

 sought in deep wet marshes. In some seasons, therefore, they 

 grow much more profusely than in others, and in deep woods 

 and mountainous regions more abundantly than in open culti- 

 vated districts. 



Unlike most other plants, the}^ are seldom of a green color ; 

 red, brown, white and yellow, in an almost infinite variety of 

 shading and blending, being the prevailing hues. The great 

 beauty and variety of their colors, their singular and manifold 

 forms (all, however, variations of a single type), their strangely 

 peculiar habits, perishable nature and remarkable properties, 

 all combine to make them objects of great interest. 



Many of them atford very savory and nutritious food, but 

 some are reputed poisonous. Some that are acrid or nauseous 

 in the raw state become pleasant and edible by cooking. Vine- 

 gar is known to have the power of abstracting the poisonous 

 properties of the deleterious ones, so that from these two facts 

 it is not improbable that, with proper preparation, nearly all 

 our species may be made edible. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



Edge of the lamellas obtuse vii. Cantharelltjs. 



Edge of the lamellae acute A. 



A. Plaut fleshy, with a milky ( rarely colored ) juice v. Lactarius. 



A. Plant destitute of a milky juice B. 



B. Lamellffi of a waxy texture, with a watery juice iv. Hygkophorus. 



B. Latuellas dissolving into an inky fluid ii. Coprinus. 



B. Lamellfe dry, persistent C. 



C. Pileus fleshy, putrescent D. 



D. Trama vesiculose ; spores white or yellow * vi. Russula. 



D. Trama filamentous ; spores various i. Agaricus. 



D. Trama floccose ; spores reddish ochre iii. Cortinarius. 



C. Pileus firm, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, persistent E. 



E. Lamellte entire viii. Marasmius. 



E. Lamellae serrate, thin ix. Lentinus, 



Genus — AGARICUS Z. 



Gills membranaceous, persistent ( not melting ) : trama fila- 

 mentous, continuous with the substance of the pileus ; edge 

 acute. Fleshy putrescent Fungi. — Berlc. Outl. 



* The color of the spores may be determined by cutting a well-developed pileus 

 from its stem and placing it in its natural position on white paper. In a few hours 

 enough spores will descend upon the paper to show their color. White spores 

 show best on black paper. Should the atmosphere be dry or the pileus thin, invert 

 a goblet over the pileus. 



