Agaricaceae 



AMANITOFSIS Roze. 



Amanita; op sis, resembling. 



Amanitopsis. AFLFH AVING a universal veil at first completely envel- 



oping the young plant, which soon bursts through, 

 carrying particles of it on the pileus, where they 

 appear as scattered warts readily brushed off; the 

 remainder or volva closely enwraps the base of the 

 stem. Ring absent. Spores white. This genus 



r ^^B-^>Jwrj= _--. 



^ ** was formerly included in Amanita. It differs from 

 Amanita in the absence of a ring or collar upon the stem and in the 

 more sheathing volva. It differs from Lepiota in having a volva. 



Close observation is necessary in collecting Amanitopsis for the table. 

 It has no trace of ring or veil upon the stem . So far as the species are 

 known no poisonous one exists. But Amanita spreta Pk., which is 

 deadly, so closely resembles forms of Amanitopsis that those confident 

 of their knowledge will be deceived. The veil or traces of veil, which 

 Amanita spreta always has, sometimes so adheres to and wraps the stem 

 that it is not noticeable without close examination, thus giving to it 

 every appearance of an Amanitopsis. 



The volva of A. spreta is attached for a considerable distance to the 

 base of the tapering stem, and is not readily removed. This is a guide 

 to detect it. It is a wolf in sheep's clothing. 



Amanitopsis corresponds to Volvaria in the pink-spored series, in 

 which, as far as known, there is no poisonous species. 



All American species of Amanitopsis are given. Several have not 

 been tested by the writer because of lack of opportunity. 



A. vagina'ta Roze vagina, a sheath. (Plate X, figs. I, 2, p. 28.) 

 PileilS thin, fragile, glossy, smooth except in rare instances where a 

 few fragments of the volva adhere to it for a time, deeply and distinctly 

 striate on the margin, sometimes umbonate. Flesh white, in the dark 

 forms grayish under the skin. Stem ringless, sometimes smooth, but 

 generally mealy or floccose, hollow or stuffed with a cottony pith, not 

 bulbous. Volva long, thin, fragile, closely sheathing yet free from the 

 stem, except in the lower part, easily detachable and frequently remain- 

 ing in the ground when the plant is pulled. Color variable, generally 

 mouse-gray, sometimes livid, tawny-yellow or white, in one variety a 



28 



