State Museum of Natural History.'] 45 



and moist, even or substriate on the margin, whitish, reddish-brown or 

 brown ; lamellae reaching to the stem toward which they are narrowed, 

 white ; stem equal or slightly tapering upward, sqnamulose, stuffed or 

 hollow, thickened or bulbous at the base, slightly striate at the top, an- 

 nulate, whitish or pallid ; flesh becoming reddish where wounded ; spores 

 elliptical, .0003 in. to .00035 in. long, .0002 in. to .00025 in. broad. 



Plant 4 in. to 6 in. high, pileus 3 in. to 5 in. broad, stem 4 

 lines to 6 lines thick. July to September. 



This Agaric occurs both in thin and in dense woods. It is 

 solitary or scattered in its mode of growth. The pileus is gen- 

 erally adorned with soft, easily removable, whitish or reddish- 

 stained warts, but as in other species, it is not unusual after 

 heavy rains to find specimens with the pileus entirely naked. 

 The margin of the pileus is generally even, but sometimes speci- 

 mens are found in which it is slightly striated. It is also in 

 this, as in all the other species, sometimes split in one or more places. 

 The color is quite variable and is generally somewhat sordid and unde- 

 cided in character. It is whitish, alutaceous, pinkish-brown, yellowish- 

 brown or reddish-brown. The flesh is white and generally becomes 

 reddish where bruised or wounded, especially in warm wet weather. 

 Reddish stains are usually found on the stem or lamellae, being the 

 result probably of the bites of insects. They are not always readily 

 produced at will in the American plant. Sometimes the little branny 

 scales that clothe the stem are colored red. The base of the stem is 

 thickened or bulbous, but the bulb is ovate or gradually tapering into 

 the stem, and not abrupt and distinct as in A. phalloides. The volva 

 is wholly friable and often entirely disappears from the base of the 

 stem or bulb. 



A . circinatus, Schum., is regarded by Fries as a variety of this spe- 

 cies, distinguished by its plane brownish-red pileus and numerous ad- 

 nate circinating warts. A. verrucosus, Bull., is a mere form with 

 minute warts and flesh slowly changing to red. 



One author places this Agaric among the suspected species. Berke- 

 ley says of it, " Quality doubtful," while most authors, including Bad- 

 ham, Rogues, Currey, Cooke and Curtis, pronounce it esculent. Oor- 

 dier says it is a most delicate food, of which large quantities are con- 

 sumed in Lorraine. 



Agaricus solitarius, Bull. Solitary Agaric. Pileus convex or plane, 

 warty, white or whitish, even on the margin; lamellae reaching the 

 stem, white or slightly tinged with cream-color; stem at first mealy or 

 scaly, equal, solid, white, bulbous, the bulb scaly or mealy, narrowed 

 beloiu into a root-like 'prolongation ; annulus lacerated, often adhering in 

 fragments to the margin oi* the pileus and lamellae ; spores elliptical- 

 oblong, .0003 in. to .0005 in. long, .00025 in. broad. 



Plant 4 in. to 8 in. high, pileus, 3 in. to. 6 in. broad, stem 4 

 lines to 6 lines thick. August and September, 



The Solitary Agaric grows singly or very much scattered in thin 

 woods and open places. It is generally white throughout, though 

 sometimes the pileus is tinged with brown and the warts are a little 

 ochreous or brownish. In some specimens they are few and scattered, 

 but generally they are numerous, crowded, angular and often erect and 

 acute, especially on the disk. There are two forms of the species. In 

 one, the volva breaks up into brownish scales which adorn the bulb 



