292 FtJNGUS-FLOEA. 



VOLVAEIA. Flies, (figs. 9, 10, p. 236.) 



When young, the entire fungus is enclosed in a universal 

 Tolva, which at maturity forms a loose, sheathing volva 

 at the base of the stem ; pileus regular ; stem central ; 

 secondary veil absent, hence there is no trace of a ring on 

 the stem ; gills free, pale flesh-colour or pale salmon-colour ; 

 spores smooth, salmon-colour. 



Volvaria, Pries, Syst. Myc, i. p. 277 ; Oke., Hdbk., p. 113 

 (as a subgenus of Agaricus). 



Distinguished by the presence of a volva, absence of 

 ring, and free gills. Volvaria corresponds in structure to 

 Amanitopsis in the Leucosporae, and to Chitonia in the 

 Porphyrosporae. 



ANALYSIS OF TEE SPECIES. 



* Pileus dry, silty or fibrillose. 



** Pileus more or less viscid, smooth. 



* Pileus dry, silky or fibrillose. 



Volvaria bombycina. Fr. 



Pileus 4-8 in. across, flesh rather thin, soft, white, at first 

 globose, even campanulate, at length convex and somewhat 

 umbonate, everywhere silky, often squamulose when old, 

 the disc rarely almost glabrous, everywhere whitish; gills 

 free, very crowded when young and almost coherent, ventri- 

 cose, broad, becoming pale flesh-colour ; stem solid, equally 

 attenuated, 3-6 in. long, ^ in. or more thick at the base, 

 even, glabrous, white, volva soon ruptured, large 2-3 in. 

 across, membranaceous, lax, laciniate, somewhat viscid, per- 

 sistent; spores elliptical, smooth, 6-7 X 4 /,i; cystidia absent 

 or very rare. 



Agaricus (Volvaria) homhycinus. Pries, Epicr., p. 188; Cke 

 Hdbk., p. 112; Cke., lUustr., pi. 293. 



On trunks. 



