CLASSIFICATION 323 



Agaricus 



Cap regular, gills free from the stem, finally dark reddish brown 

 or umber ; stem central, with a distinct ring. 



The free gills and a ring on the stem mark this genus. The 

 species are all terrestrial. 



A. augustiis. — Cap 4-7 in. across, almost globose at first, then 

 expanded, very obtuse, quite pale brown or yellowish, squamulose ; 

 gills narrow, pale, then brown ; stem 4-5 in. long, stout, thinner 

 upwards, whitish, ring large, persistent. 



Distinguished from A. campestris by its larger size and by the 

 flesh of the cap not becoming brown when broken. Our best edible 

 fungus, but unfortunately rare. 



In gardens, orchards, and woods. 



A. perrayus. — Cap fleshy, campanulate, then expanded, yellow, 

 with imbricated tawny scales, 3-5 in. across ; gills free, very remote 

 from the stem, crowded ; stem whitish, with evanescent brown 

 scales below the large, superior, reflexed ring. 



Among grass, under trees. 



A. elvensis. — Tufted. Cap 4-6 in. across, subglobose, then ex- 

 panded, crowded with large brown scales, margin more or less 

 warted ; gills brownish flesh-colour ; stem 4-6 in. long, thickest 

 at the centre, stout, fibrillose, ring thick, large, warted underneath. 



Differs from A. augustus in colour and warted edge of cap. 

 Delicious eating. 



On the ground under trees, especially oak. 



A. campestris (PI. XXIV, fig. 10) (common mushroom). — Cap 

 3-6 in. across, globose, then convexo-plane, dry, silky, whitish, 

 flesh thick, becoming reddish brown when broken ; gills crowded, 

 pink, then blackish brown, subdeHquescent ; stem 3-4 in. long, 

 white, ring more or less persistent. 



The well-known edible mushroom. The gills have a tendency 

 to deliquesce, as in Coprinus. 



In rich pastures, etc. 



var. silvicola. — Cap smooth, shining ; stem long, hollow, some- 

 what bulbous, ring large. 



In woods. 



var. pratensis. — Cap covered with small rufous scales. 



var. hortensis. — Cap brownish, fibrillose or squamulose. 



This is the variety or, as some consider, a distinct species, com- 

 monly cultivated. 



var. vapor arius. — Cap and stem covered with a brown hairy coat. 



var. costatus. — Small. Cap grooved, wavy ; ring large. 



var. rufescens. — Cap rufous ; flesh bright red when bruised. 



var, exannulatus. — Cap scaly ; stem long, ring obsolete. 



A. arvensis (horse mushroom). — Cap 5-10 in. or more across, 

 whitish, nearly or quite smooth ; gills whitish, then reddish or 



