150 Thirty-fifth Eepoet 02f the State Museum. 



(6) 

 NEW YORK SPECIES OF LEPIOTA. 



" White-spored, hymenophorum distinct from the stem, veil un'- 

 versal, concrete with the epidermis of the pileus. Lamellae free, often 

 remote, neither sinuate nor decurrent." — Hymen. Europ., p. 29. 



The word Lepiota has reference to the scaly character of the pileus. 

 The species grouped under this name may be distinguished from the 

 species of Amanita by the character of the scales of the pileus, which 

 in that subgenus are wart-like and superficial and for the most part 

 easily separable from the pileus, while in this they are intimately 

 united to the cuticle, which usually breaks up into scales or scale-like 

 fragments. On the other hand they are distinguished from the species 

 of Armillaria by the lamelUe which in most of the species do not reach 

 the stem but are Avholly free from it. In the few instances in which 

 they reach the stem they are but slightly attached to it, and not sin- 

 uate or decurrent as in Armillaria. 



The species are mostly of medium size, though Agarlbtis procerus 

 has few rivals in length of stem, and A. Morgani in breadth of pileus. 

 The pileus is soft and fleshy but generally rather thin. The cuticle, 

 which is usually entire in the very young plant, soon breaks up into 

 scales which are appressed or erect, large or small, fibril lose, floccose, 

 granular or mealy according to the species. These scales often give 

 an ornamental or variegated appearance to the pileus which is quite 

 attractive. In form, the pileus in the young plant is subglobose or 

 ovate, then it becomes convex or campanulate and finally in many 

 species it is nearly flat with a central prominence or umbo. This 

 umbo in such species as A. procerus and A. mastoideus is especially 

 prominent. 



The lamellae are white or whitish in most of the species. Occa- 

 sionally they may be tinged with yellow and in a few species they 

 assume a smoky-red or pinkish-brown hue in old age or in drying. In 

 A. Badhami, A. meleagris and A. Americanus the whole plant changes 

 color when wounded or io drying. 



The stem m most of the species is rather slender and either hollow 

 or stuffed with webby or cottony filaments. The annulus or ring that 

 is attached to and surrounds the stem is sometimes slight and disap- 

 pears in very wet weather or in old age. The spores, which are nor- 

 mally white, sometimes assume a yellowish hue when kept a long time. 

 A. Morgani, au Ohio species, is remarkable for producing spores of a 

 bright-green color which soon fades to a dull-green. Tlie spores vary 



