6 CIRCULAR 14r!, T^ S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ROSY-SPOKED AGARICS 



GCJIUS 



Stem exc-ontric or .-ihsent ami i)ileus lateral Claltdopus 



Stem central : 



Volvu present, anmilus wanting Volvaria 



Volva and annulus absent — 



Cap easily separating from stem, gills free Pluteus 



Cap contluent with stem, gills sinuate Entoloma. 



OCIIBm-SPORED AGARICS (SPORES YKI.l.OW Oli I'.UOWX) 



(lills easily separable from flesli of cap : 



IMargin of cap incurved, gills more or less decurrent forked 



or connected with veinlike reticulations I'axillus. 



(Ulls not easily separable from flesh of cap: 



Universal veil present, arachnoid Cortixarius. 



Universal veil absent — 



Ring present Pholiota. 



Ring absent — 



Stem central — 



Cap turned in NArcoRiA. 



Cap not turned in Calera. 



Stem excentric or none Crepidotus. 



PURPLE-BROWX SPORKD AGARICS 



Cap easily separating from stem, gills usually free Agaricus. 



Cap not easily separating from stem, gills attached : 



Ring present Stropharia. 



Ring absent, veil remaining attached to margin of cnp__ Hypholoma. 



black-spored agarics 



fJills deliquescing, cap thin, ring present in some species Coprinus. 



Gills not deli(|uescing: 



Margin of cap striate, gills not variegated Psathyrella. 



Margin of cap not striate, gills variegated PANAEOi>rs. 



AMANITA 



The most" poisonous fungi belong to the gemis Amanita. Al- 

 though it contains some edible species, the surest way to avoid 

 danger is to let all species of the genus alone. A fungus of this 

 kind may be recognized among the white-spored agarics by the 

 presence of a volva and a veil. Young plants are completely in- 

 closed by the volva, and the manner in which it breaks away varies 

 according to the species. A part of the volva may remain on the 

 top of the cap, around its margin as scales, or as a broken cup at 

 the base of the stem. 



AMANITA PHALXOIDES. DEATH CUP. (POISONOUS) 

 (Fig. 3) 



In the death cup the color of the cap ranges from white or lemon to olive 

 or brownish. It is broadly bell-shaped or oval and finally expanded, smooth 

 or with patches of scales. In moist weather it is very sticky. The gills are 

 free and white and the stem mostly smooth and bulbous, surrounded by the 

 large cui)-shaped volva. The ring is large, white, and reflexed. 



The death cup is the most dangerous of all nnislirooms. It is widely dis- 

 tributed and of very common occurrence and may be found growing in woods 

 or cultivated land from spring until late autumn. 



