RKPOKT OF THE STATE BOTANIST 237 



appears to me to be more pronounced in the older plants than in 

 those that are very young. When raised in large quantities in 

 greenhouses it sometimes gives out a perceptible odor of bruised 

 almonds. 



The reddish-brown color is due to the coating of fibrils that 

 cover the cap. These are often collected in minute tufts, which 

 give a slight fiocccse or scaly appearance to the cap. In the 

 center the epidermis does not separate into fibrils and scales, and 

 in consequence the disk or center of the cap is smoother and 

 more distinctly reddish-brown than the rest. The flesh is white 

 and unchangeable when cut or broken. In this respect it differs 

 decidedly from the Reddish variety of the Common mushroom, 

 Variety rufescens^ though it resembles it in having the very 

 young gills white. 



The stem is generally rather long and more or less thickened 

 at the base. It is white and usually slightly flocculose below the 

 collar, very smooth above it. In the mature plant it is hollow, 

 but the cavity is very small. One of the distinguishing features 

 of the species is the flocculent or scaly lower surface of the veil 

 or collar. It is apparently a double membrane, as in the Field 

 mushroom, but instead of the lower membrane breaking in a 

 radiate manner as in that species, it breaks into small floccose 

 flakes or scales. By this character and by the color of the very 

 young gills it may be separated from the Garden variety of the 

 Common mushroom, Variety hortensis, which it approaches in 

 the color of the cap. 



The plant often grows in large clusters of many individuals, 

 one correspondent alfirming that as many as forty individuals 

 sometimes occur in one cluster. In size it is similar to the Com- 

 mon mushroom, but under favorable circumstances it seems 

 sometimes to excel it, the cap attaining a diameter of six inches. 



It has been found but once in a wild state within our limits. 

 Mr. Wm. Falconer, of Glen Cove, Long Island, discovered it 

 growing on his compost heap composed chiefly of decaying 

 leaves. From some of these specimens kindly sent me by the 

 discoverer the original description was derived, but the specimens 

 were not in satisfactory condition to Hgure. The present illus- 

 trations have been made from specimens kindly furnished by 

 Colonel Wright Rives of Washington, in whose greenhouse an 



