258 



Mycologia 



and spores purplish-brown, falling away in age with the upper 

 part of the peridium, leaving a persistent cup-shaped base with a 

 ragged margin; spores sessile, globose, distinctly echinulate, 

 purplish-brown, 5-7/x in diameter. 



This puffball occurs commonly in the eastern United States in 

 meadows and pastures where the common mushroom may be 

 expected to grow, but its excellent qualities appear to be un- 

 known to most persons. It is the largest puffball in this region, 

 except the giant puffball, which is much rarer and grows in the 

 woods. Bosc originally described this species from the cup- 

 shaped sterile base, hence the specific name is hardly appropriate. 



Amanita phalloides Fr. 



Deadly Amanita. Destroying Angel 



Plate 15. Figure 2. X i 



Pileus convex to expanded, 5-15 cm. broad; surface smooth, 

 glabrous, white, slightly viscid when moist; margin entire, con- 

 colorous : flesh white, not objectionable to the taste, although at 

 times emitting a slightly disagreeable odor; gills white, not 

 changing color, broad, rounded at the base, free from the stem: 

 spores globose, smooth, hyaline, 7-8^ in diameter: stem long, 

 slender, smooth, white, stuffed or hollow, 7-15 cm. long, 1— 1.5 

 cm. thick, decorated above with a large white annulus and 

 sheathed at the swollen base with a conspicuous white volva or 

 "" death-cup " 2.5-4 cm. in diameter. 



The above description applies only to the white form here 

 figured. Other forms will require color. The species is common 

 during summer and autumn in open groves and along the edges 

 ^of woods. 



The most important part of the deadly amanita is the sheath 

 at the base of the stem known as the " death-cup," which is 

 well shown in the illustration. This is what remains of the 

 outer coat of the " egg " after the cap has burst from it and 

 has been carried upward by the growing stem. The ring on the 

 stem is similar to that of the common mushroom, but the gills 

 are white, both when young and old, those of the common mush- 

 room being at first pink, then black. Nothing can be told from 

 the color of the upper surface of the cap because it varies so 



