40 Thirty-third Annual Eeport of the 



tached to the margin. The annulus then has a lacerated or torn ap- 

 pearance. The species are readily divided into two primary sections, 

 depending on the presence or absence of the annulus. The species 

 having an annulus have been again divided by Fries into subsections, 

 depending on the character of the volva. These are thus charac- 

 terized : 



1. Volva rupturing at the apex or circumscissile, the free margin 

 persistent. Of our species A. ccesareus, A. spretus and A. phalloides 

 belong to this subsection. 



2. Volva definitely circumscissile, persistent on the margined base, 

 the covering of the pileus broken up into thick warts. Here belong 

 A. russuloides, A. muscarius, A. Frostianus, A solitaries and A. 

 strobiliformis. 



3. Volva wholly friable, reduced to scales and warts. Our only rep 

 resentative of this subsection is A. rubescens. 



4. Volva wholly obsolete, flocculose, entirely evanescent. Of this sub- 

 section we have thus far no representative. 



The second and third sub-sections appear to run into each other in 

 such a way that it is -difficult to keep them distinct. 



In collecting specimens for examination, the earth should be care- 

 fully removed from the base of the stem before the plant is taken up, 

 in order to obtain it entire and to secure the volva in as perfect condi- 

 tion as possible. Young plants taken just as the pileus is emerging 

 from the volva, if kept in a warm, moist atmosphere, will continue to 

 elongate the stem and expand the pileus. 



The characters especially to be noted in the determination of the 

 species are found in the volva, whether membranous and persistent or 

 floccose-scaly, and more or less evanescent ; in the pileus, whether 

 smooth and naked or warty, and whether even or striated on the mar- 

 gin ; in the stem, whether with or without an annulus, whether solid 

 or hollow and whether with or without a bulb at the base, and if bul- 

 bous what is the character of the bulb. The color, though a conspicu- 

 uous character, is so variable in some species that it is deemed of sec- 

 ondary importance. The spores, beyond their color, can only be 

 available in affording distinctive characters by the aid of a compound 

 microscope and a micrometer. 



Some of the species have a very bad reputation for their deleterious 

 and poisonous qualities, but a few are generally admitted by authors 

 to be esculent. I have not personally tested the edible qualities of any 

 of the species, and those indicated as edible are thus given on the au- 

 thority of others. I do not consider it safe for any one who is not 

 fully able to distinguish the edible from the poisonous species to in- 

 dulge in the use of the Amanitas for food. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES. 



1. Stem furnished with an annulus 2 



2. Volva membranous, persistent ; pileus not warty 3 



8. Pileus widely striate on the margin, lamella? yellow. ... A. ccesareus: 

 3. Pileus narrowly striate, lamella; white A. spretus. 



3. Pileus even on the margin, lamellae white A . phalloides. 



2. Volva squamose, friable, sometimes evanescent 4 



4. Pileus striate on the margin 5 



5. Pileus widely striate, warts soon disappearing A. russuloides. 



