3i8 BRITISH FUNGI 



relati\'ely long and slender, the common mushroom and a tew 

 others again being exceptions. 



The bright colours predominating in the other sub-families are 

 generally absent, whitisli, dingy grey, or brown being the most 

 general tints met with. Exceptions occur in the bright verdigris- 

 green colour of Styopharia cBruginom , and in the genus Hypholoma 

 there are a few species having the cap clear yellow or fiery 

 orange. 



Species furnished with a voha, or a ring, are present. The gills 

 may be free, adnate, or adnexed, but no species belonging to the 

 group has decurrent gills. It is true that in Gomphidins the gills 

 are decurrent, but this genus has no affinity whatever with any genus 

 included in the Melanosporea?. It is simply placed here because it 

 must go somewhere, and the spores are dark-coloured, but not black. 

 The solution of the problem, as to the real affinity of this genus, and 

 it must have an affinity, might be taken in hand by some student 

 yearning for distinction. 



The simplest types of structure, as lateral-stemmed, or sessile, 

 resupinate species, are absent from the group. Some of our most 

 valued edible species are included in tlie genera Agariciis and 

 Coprinus. 



Key to the Genera 

 A. Gills free from the stem 



Volva present ; ring absent. Chitonia. 



Ring present ; volva absent. Agaricus. 



Volva and ring both absent. Pilosace. 



B. Gills attached to the stem (quite free from the stem 

 in some species of Coprinus). 



f Stem with a distinct membranaceous ring. 



Gills adnate to the stem, dark brown or purplish. Stropharia. 



Gills adnexed, grey and clouded with the black spores. Anellaria. 



tl Ring very imperfect or absent ; gills decurrent. 



Gills subgelatinous. Gomphidius. 



ttl Gills not decurrent, nor adhering to each other when young, 

 not deliquescent. 



Gills sinuate, dark brown or blackish purple, ^'eil often hanging 

 in fragments from the edge of the cap. Hypholoma. 



Cap not striate, edge extending slightly beyond the gills. 



PancBolus, 



Cap sulcate or striate. Psathyrella. 



Stem fragile ; edge of cap straight when young. Psathyra. 



Stem tough ; edge of cap incurved when young. Psilocybe. 



tilt Gills adhering together by their sides -when young, deliquescing 

 at maturity. 



Ring and volva present in some species ; ring alone present in 

 others ; absent in others ; gills adnate, adnexed, or free. Coprinus. 



