20 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



Key to the Black-S pored Group. 



Gills more or less dissolving at maturity Co primes 



Gills not dissolving at maturity I 



i. Substance of fruit-body waxy Gomphidius 



Substance of fruit-body fleshy and fibrous 2 



2. Margin of cap striate; gills not variegated. . .Psathyrella 

 Margin of cap not striate ; gills somewhat variegated 3 



3. Ring present on the stem Anellaria 



Ring absent, but veil often present Panccolus 



AMANITA Pers. 



A name given to some esculent fungi by Galen, perhaps 

 from Mount Amanus. 



The young plant in all species of Amanita is covered with 

 a universal veil, as explained in the characteristics of mush- 

 rooms. As the cap expands, this veil ruptures, leaving a 

 more or less well-defined margin on the stem, which is tech- 

 nically termed the volva. 



The partial veil in the immature specimen extends from 

 the stem to the margin of the pileus, enclosing the gills, and 

 when ruptured falls around the stem in a veil-like ring. The 

 persistency of this ring varies in the different species. The 

 pileus is fleshy, convex, expanding with age. It separates 

 easily from the stem, and differs from it considerablv in sub- 

 stance. The stems are long and usually taper somewhat to- 

 wards the top. The gills are not attached to the stem ; spores 

 white. 



The Amanitas are nearly always found growing on the 

 ground, usually in open woods, but are seldom found in open 

 fields and pastures. They possess perhaps the most striking 

 characteristics of any of the flesh}- fungi, and when once 

 learned they are seldom mistaken for other genera. The pure 

 white form of A. phalloidcs is sure to attract the attention of 

 even the most inexperienced collector, and its seeming purity 

 appeals to persons seeking varieties adapted for table use. 

 Nevertheless it contains the most violent of the poisons found 

 in the whole group of fleshv fungi. 



The colors of Amanita vary from pure white, through the 

 various tints of orange, crimson, and scarlet to the dull red 



