6 CIRCULAR 143, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
ROSY-SPORED AGARICS 
Genus 
stenr.excentric:or absent-and pileustateral = eee ey CLAUDOPUS 
Stem central: 
Volva* present; ‘annulus wanting a: 2 ee ake sche eee ee VOLVARIA 
Volva and annulus absent— 
Cap easily separating from stem, gills free__________ PLUTEUS 
Cap confluent with stem, gills sinuate__--__________ ENTOLOMA. 
OCHER-SPORED AGARICS (SPORES YELLOW OR BROWN) 
Gills easily separable from flesh of cap: 
Margin of cap incurved, gills more or less decurrent forked 
or connected with veinlike reticulationssm ae LSA PAXILLUS: 
Gills not easily separable from flesh of cap: 
niversal” vel present: sarachnoi d= eae ee ee CORTINARIUS. 
Universal veil absent— 
Bing presen Gates 2s eee eo i eee ae eee oe a ee PHOLIOTA. 
Ring absent— 
Stem central— 
Capmbutned give: = su ee 23H eee NAT CORUAG 
Cap NOt CURGEW Anes so: iter ee so et GALERA. 
Stem EXxXcentric Or, MONCH os: ase meena __ CREPIDOTUS. 
PURPLE-BROWN SPORED AGARICS 
Cap easily separating from stem, gills usually free__________ AGARICUS. 
Cap not easily separating from stem, gills attached: 
HRT PP LESO MG Os ees ae Ee ee eee Se eos SO es STROPHARIA. 
Ring absent, veil remaining attached to margin of cap_. HyYPHOLOMA. 
BLACK-SPORED AGARICS 
Gills deliquescing, cap thin, ring present in some species_____ CoPRINUS. 
Gills not deliquescing: 
Martein of cap striate; sills not varierated =) _PSATHYRELLA. 
Margin of cap not striate, gills variegated______________ PANAEOLUS. 
AMANITA 
The most poisonous fungi belong to the genus Amanita. Al- 
though it contains some edible species, the surest way to avoid 
danger is to let all species of the genus alone. A fungus of this 
kind may be recognized among the white- spored agarics by the 
presence of a volva and a veil. Young plants are completely in- 
closed by the volva, and the manner in which it breaks away varies 
according to the species. A part of the volva may remain on the 
top of the cap, around its margin as scales, or as a broken cup at 
the base of the stem. 
AMANITA PHALLOIDES. DEATH CUP. (POISONOUS) 
(Fig. 3) 
In the death cup the color of the cap ranges from white or lemon to olive 
or brownish. It is broadly bell-shaped or oval and finally expanded, smooth 
or with patches of. scales. In moist weather it is very sticky. The gills are 
free and ‘vYhite and the stem mostly smooth and bulbous, surrounded by the © 
large cup-Shaped volva. The ring is large, white, and reflexed. 
The death cup is the most dangerous of all mushrooms. It is widely dis- 
tributeu and of very common occurrence and may be found growing in woods 
or cultivated land from spring until late autumn. 
