380 Bihliogrwphical Notice. 



depicted upon the fifty-six fine plates. Some of these may be re- 

 garded as new to the Italian flora, or very little known — for in- 

 stance : — 



1. Amanita Vitoni. — This fungus was found for the first time by 

 Dr. Vitoni, of Pistoia, towards the latter end of the last century, and 

 described by him in a memoir addressed to the Academy of Georgo- 

 fili of Elorence. Dr. Vitoni witnessed some dreadful cases of poison- 

 ing occasioned by this fungus. Dr. Valenti-Serini regards it as a 

 variety of Amanita bulhosa viridis, which has the laminae rosy, and 

 which he arranges in a subsection named pseudo-Amanites. 



2. Amanita terrea. — Found by the author in 1839 ; also ^ pseudo- 

 Amanite. Regarded by Chellini as susj)icious. 



3. Amanita fulva, which he has placed among the suspicious. 



4. Amanita cinerea. — Rejected by the peasants. 



5. Agaricus fulvaster, or Amanita Trompeia formosa. — To this 

 handsome variety the 5th plate is dedicated. It may be a variety 

 of Agaricus vaginatus. The peasants regard it as suspicious. 



6. Agaricus plumheus or Amanita Terrachinia plumhea. — Of this 

 also the author is uncertain whether it should be retained as a va- 

 riety of Agaricus vaginatus. 



" Mycologists in treating oi Agaricus vaginatus have restricted it to 

 two varieties — livida or plumhea and spadicea or fulva ; and it is 

 disputed which of these is good to eat. DeCandoUe, Chevalier, 

 Cordier, Descourtilz are of opinion that they are esculent without 

 distinction; Persoon and Pico that they are deleterious and de- 

 cidedly poisonous. The Italian mycologists, as Venturi and Vitta- 

 dini, declare them to be innocent, and maintain that in the Bresciano 

 they are commonly used. These last, who are of great weight with 

 our author, recommend the adoption of those only of the variety 

 having the leaden colour, and the rejection of those of nankeen 

 colour, because this variety may be sometimes confounded with some 

 variety of Agaricus pantherinus. The French say they are sold in 

 the Marseilles market." This is a good instance of the uncertainty 

 which surrounds the safe discrimination of some species and varieties. 



7. Volvaria Corticelli. — Discovered by the author in May 1862, 

 and believed to be a new species. It appears in plate 8 in all its 

 aspects. Its disgusting odour has led him to suspect its qualities. 

 It is very beautiful, and is dedicated to Prof. Alessandro Corticelli. 



8. Agaricus perlatus. — Found in 1862 by the author, and thought 

 by him to be a variety of Agaricus pantherinus. 



9. Agaricus margaritiferus. — Found in the same place as the last. 

 The author is inclined to regard this also as a variety oi pantherinus, 

 and on this ground deserving to be rejected. 



We shaU be glad if this brief notice should draw the attention of 

 English botanists to the writings of Dr. Valenti-Serini. 



