GENERA AND SPECIES OF MUSHROOMS 



to separate the two. The color of the spores and the charac- 

 ter of the stem and collar are also distinguishing differences. 



In my estimation this species is scarcely if at all inferior to 

 the common mushroom in its edible qualities. Its flesh is 

 thick and white and usually tender and savory. It is very 

 free from the attacks of insects. Growing as it does often, 

 in places where the grass is short and dense, it has a neat, 

 ^ clean and attractive appearance. Its gills retain their white 

 color for a long time and in this respect it has an advantage 

 over the common mushroom, whose gills soon change from 

 the delicate pink of youth to the repulsive blackish hue of 

 age. Peck. 



Since the plant occurs in the same situations as the Agaricus 

 campestris it might be mistaken for it, but of course no harm 

 could come by eating it by mistake for the common mush- 

 room. If one will look at the gills, however, they will not 

 be likely to mistake it for the common mushroom because 

 the gills become pink only when the plant is well expanded and 

 quite old. There is much more danger in mistaking it for the 

 white Amanitas, Amanita phalloides, Amanita verna or 

 Amanita virosa since the gills of these deadly plants are 

 white and they do sometimes grow in lawns and other grassy 

 places where the smooth lepiota and the, common mushroom 

 grow. For this reason one should study the descriptions and 

 illustrations of these Amanitas until one is so certainly 

 familiar with their characters that the plants would be known 

 "on sight." Atkinson. 



Lepiota procera; parasol mushroom; tall lepiota. "Plate 

 XII, Species 85. 



On ground in thin woods, in fields and pastures and by 

 roadsides; July to September; unfortunately, not very com- 

 mon; edible. 



Cap thin, with a knob or eminence at the center; adorned 

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