EDIBLE FUNGI. 143 



Agaricus prunulus (Plum Mushroom). 



Pileus fleshy, compact, at first convex, then expanded, 

 becoming depressed in the centre, irregularly waved, and 

 slightly pruinose ; from two to five inches broad ; surface 

 dry, soft, white, or sometimes grey. The flesh thick, 

 white, and unchangeable. Gills crowded, deeply decur- 

 reiit, at first white, then a pale dull flesh-colour, or yel- 

 lowish brown. Spores pale brown. Stem white, solid, 

 firm, slightly ventricose, an inch or more long, and half 

 an inch thick; naked, often striate, and villose at the 

 base ; often eccentric. Odour like that of new meal, but 

 usually too strong to be agreeable. 



There has been considerable confusion, writes Dr. Bull, 

 between the two Agarics orcella and prunulus; some think- 

 ing that we have only orcella in England (Dr. Badham) ; 

 and others only prunulus (the Rev. M. J. Berkeley), and 

 others again that they are both the same fungus, differing 

 only in size. Dr. Badham and some others again confuse 

 prunulus with gambosus, the fungus of early spring, and 

 this has arisen from the French term mousseron being 

 often applied to both these fungiises ; but they are so 

 essentially different as not to be liable in any way to be 

 mistaken for each other. Agaricus orcella and A. 

 prunulus are both placed on the same page in the illus- 

 tration, so that their close alliance may be seen at a 



