Agaricus aurantius. Orange Mushroom. 



AGARICUS Linnai'Gen. PI Cryptogamia Fungi. 



Fungus horizontalis fubtus lamellofus. 



Rait Syn. Gen, i. Fungi. 



AGARICUS aurapiius pileo conico vifcido aurantio, lamellis luteis, ftipite nudo. Ughtfiot. Flor. Scot. 

 p. 1025. 



AMANITA glutinofus, flavus, pileo umbonato. Haller. hiji. n. 2420. 



FUNGUS parvus, lubricus, aureus, lamellis raris, amplioribus, pediculo craffiore. Mich. p. 14*7. 



FUNGUS aurantii coloris capitulo in conum abeunte. Vaillant Rot. Par. p. 67. 



FUNGUS pratenfis minor, externe vifcidus, ftriis fubtus fulvis feu croceis. Rail Syn. p. 8. n. 38. ? 



In pafcuis elatioribus folitarius plerumque invenitur, fat | Found plentifully enough with us in elevated paftures, 

 copiofe nobifcum. | and for the moft part fingly. 



? 



STIPES uncialis, ad triuncialem, nudus, fiftulofus, fra- | STALK from one to three inches high, naked, hollow, 

 gilis, et admodum fiffilis, craffiufculus, fubtili- % brittle, and much difpofed to fplit, thickifh' 



ter ftriatus, lasvis, facpe tortuofus, plerumque | finely ftriated, fmooth, often twifted, and for 



croceus. -% the moft part faffron-coloured. 



? 



PILEUS uncialis, aut biuncialis, raro triuncialis, utplu- f STALK one or two, feldom three inches broad, gene- 

 rimum conicus, praefertim in junioribus, lubri- | rally conical, efpecially when young, flippery, 



cus, et fubvifcidus, primo coccineus, dein | and fomewhat clammy, at firft 'of a bright 



croceus, feu aurantius, demum niger ; non- t fcarlet colour, then fafFron or orange- coloured, 



nulli formam conicam retinent ufque ad diflo- I and finally black ; fome preferve their conical 



lutionem, alii plani fiunt vertice tumefcente. y form even in decay, others become flat with a 



I prominent crown. 



? 



LAMELLAE pnmoalbidae, dein fubcroceas, fi contun- | GILLS firft whitifh, afterwards fomewhat faffron- 



dantur ftatim nigrefcentes. | coloured, on being bruifed quickly becoming 



* black. 



As this Fungus is fo diftinguifhable for its colours, fo diftin&in its fpecific characters, and withal fo common, it 

 is matter of admiration that we do not find more notice taken of it by Authors. Mr. Light foot in his Flora 

 Scotica has given an accurate defcription of it, which cannot fail of making it known : he quotes Sch^effer's 

 figure, which reprefents our plant, and adopts his name of aurantius. Mr. Hudson does not mention it ; and we 

 are not certain whether the plant we refer to in Ray be ours or not. As well as Mr. Lightfoot, we had our doubts 

 whether it was the fragilis of Linn^us j but confidering his defcription, as well as that of Vaillant, who gives 

 a figure to which Linn^us refers, we are certain it muft be a different plant. If the fragilis of Mr. Hudson be 

 the fragilis of Linn^us, it is a very different plant from ours indeed. Fid. Schjeff. Ic. tab. 230. to which he 

 refers. 



This Fungus is by no means uncommon in elevated paftures, particularly where Eye-bright grows. It is ufually 

 dwarnfh on heaths ; but where the grafs is notclofe fed, it is found with a ftalk three inches high. The brilliancy 

 of its colour foon ftrikes the eye. We may obferve, that this colour is moft vivid, or moft inclined to red in the 

 young ones. As it grows old, it becomes yellower, and quickly changes quite black. Indeed it has an extraordinary 

 tendency to turn black, not only from age, but from the flighteft bruife. The ftalk is alfo brittle, and very apt to 

 fplit. 



It is found in perfection about the middle of September. 



It does not poflefs any particular acrimony ; but is not numbered with fuch as may be eaten with fafety. 



