FUNGL 
their colour is principally, if not solely, caused by that 
of the fractification or seeds within at kd rg 
a priori have expected what experience ught in 
ht that it is the most fixed, the most certain 
characteristic on which to found the distinctions of the 
species ; and that this, together with the structure, will 
be at all times sufficient to afford anent ic 
distinctions. It is allowed, that these colours 
when the begins to decay, but no botanist would 
complain ‘the characters are wanting, in a subject 
collected in a rotten state. The colour of the flat sides 
of the gills is what ought to be attended to, because 
the colour at the edge in some inet is different through 
all the stages of its growth, and in others it changes soon- 
er than that of the sides, evidently from the discharge of 
the seeds when ripe. The colour of the whole of the gills 
being sometimes influenced. by the ripened seeds, It is 
clear that this colour ought to be described where it is 
liable to such a change, not only in the perfect and vi- 
gorous state of the plant, but also in its mature and 
nearly decaying state, taking its character from the for- 
mer. Thus; in several of the deliquescent agarics, 
especially such as dissolve in decay to an inky liquor, 
the plants, when very young, have white gills; these 
become grey when the s are formed, and black 
when quite ripe, and dissolve in decay. These cir- 
cumstances may be properly noticed in the history of 
the plant, but no one would think of taking its charac- 
ter from its yet but half unfolded state, any more than 
from its state of di Ae tek sr therefore, must 
be placed amon, ers whose gills are ; 
‘Some of the Santos have a curtain, road 2 hs of Lin. 
neeus, extending from the stem to the edge of the pi- 
leus. This curtain is torn as the’ pileus expands, and 
soon vanishes ; but the part attached to the stem often 
remains, forming a ring round it. This ring is more 
or less permanent as its substance is more or less tender ; 
but some of the species appear some years with, and 
other years without, a ring; so that though it forms a 
very obvious character, it cannot be admitted as the 
ground of specific distinction, Major Velley, when speak~ 
ing of Agaricus e@ruginosus, says, ‘in the autumn of 1788, 
in several huni specimens, I never found one that 
had a ving on the stem; but the following year, al. 
most every one that occurred had this distinguishing 
mark.” J 
Many of the ics, when wounded, pour out a 
milky juice ; but this circumstance is by no means uni- 
form in the same species. Some plants, apparently 
healthy and vigorous, shew no signs of milk when 
widinded, while others of the same species, on the 
same spot, and at the same time, pour out their milk 
in abundance. This frequently happens with the Aga- 
ricus exampelinus, 
Taking all these characters in connection, and allot- 
_ ting'to each a conspicuous place, in proportion to its 
cy, our coun » Dr Withering, in his 
“« Arrangement of British Plants,” presented to the pub- 
lie a classification of the agarics, more simple, obvious, 
and applicable, than any of those subdivisions which 
have hitherto appeared.” Without venturing to give a 
description of any of the species belonging to the dif. 
ferent divisions, we content ourselves wi presenting 
an outline of the whole. z 
A. Stem central. 
I. Solid and Decurrent. 
2. Gills brown. 
1. Gills white. 
47 
3. Gills red. 5. Gills yellow. 
4. Gills buff. 6. Gills purple. 
II, Solid and Fixed. 
1. Gills white, 4. Gills buff. 
2. Gills brown. 5. Gills yellow. 
3. Gills purplish, 6. Gills grey. 
III. Solid and Loose. 
1, Gills white. 4, Gills buff. 
2. Gills brown. 5. Gills yellow. 
8. Gills red. 6. Gills grey, 
IV. Hollow and Decurrent. 
1. Gills white, 8. Gills yellow. 
2. Gills red. 
V. Hollow and Fixed. 
1. Gills white. 5. Gills yellow. 
2. Gills brown. 6. Gills buff. 
3. Gills red. 7. Gills green. 
%, Gills purple. 8. Gills grey. 
VI. Hollow and Loose. 
1. Gills white. 4, Gills buff. 
2. Gills brown, 5. Gills yellow. 
3. Gills red. 6. Gills grey. 
B. Stems Lateral. 
1. Gills white 3. Gills buff. 
2. Gills brown. 
C. Stemless, 
Genus XX. Morcuetra: The plants of this 
nus have no wrapper ; their ovoid cap is ftipported By 
a cylindrical stem, not perforated at the summit, but 
raised below into anastamosing nerves, forming poly= 
gonal cells, in which the seeds are concealed. These 
plants were formerly associated with the genus Phallus, 
but in consequence of their want of a wrapper, and the 
seeds not being envel in a slimy liquor, they haye 
been disjoined by Jussieu, Lamarck, and Persoon. — 
More esculenta, Phallus esculentus of Linnzus, 
Sower. tab. 51. The stem is cylindrical, -solid, or hol- 
low ; white and smooth; the cap.is hollow within, 
ovoid, adhering to the stem by its base, and latticed on 
the surface wi 
four inches, This plant is well known in Britain by 
the name of Morel, and is eaten with safety. 
Famity V. Fungi in which the fertile surface des 
cays into a pulp, the plant issuing Jrom a wrapper. 
irregular sinuses: the height is about ’ 
Fungi. 
—— 
20. Mor. 
CHELLA. 
/ 
Genus XXI. Puattus. Stem enveloped by a wrap- 9], pyar. 
per at the base, supporting a cap, which is perforated tus, 
at the top, marked with a network of cells, and fur- 
nished with a slimy liquor, in which the seeds are lod« 
ged. 
Phallus impudicus. Sower. tab. 329. This is one of 
the most sin productions of the whole tribe. It 
arises from the earth under a wrapper, shaped exactl 
like a hen’s egg, of the same colour, having a long fi- 
brous radicle at the base. This wrappers composed of 
two coats or membranes, the space between which is 
full of a thick, viscid, transparent matter, which, when 
dry, ‘glues the coats together, and shines like varnish. 
In the next stage of growth, the wrapper suddenly 
bursts into several lacerated permanent segments, from - 
the centre of which arises an erect, white, cellular hollow 
