ESCULENT FUNGI OF GREAT BIlITAIN. 355 
numerous, free, delicate, vinous red or jflesh colour, be- 
coming fuscous, and even nearly black. Flesh spongy, 
white, thick. Stem firm, solid, white, generally short, 
and often somewhat bulbous. Veil mostly annular and 
persistent, but sometimes fugacious. 
This is the common mushroom of this country, ihe cham- 
pignon of the French, and prataiolo of the Italians. It is 
one of the most generally diffused species we know, being 
found throughout the whole of Europe, even in Lapland ; 
as far as Japan, in Asia, on the authority of Thunberg ; 
in Africa (Barbary) Desfont. Atlant.ip. 433 ; and in Ame- 
rica, according to Muhlenberg, and others. 
It was well known to the ancients, under various names, 
MvKTi? sMfft, of DioscGRiDEs, ^allo ruhens of Pliny, Pron 
teoli of CiESALPiNUs, as a Fungus esculentus by Clusius, 
and many others. It is by no means improbable, however, 
that several species may be confounded together, even by 
the moderns ; and that the popular names in France, such 
as paiuronsy potirons, envinassas, cabalas, champignons 
des pres, champignons de fumier, and champignons de 
couche, may not belong to one species. They are all decid- 
edly wholesome, and bear, if really specifically different, a 
near affinity to each other. The single term champignon, 
however, is considered as exclusively belonging to the spe- 
cies or variety in question, as much as the term true musJi^ 
room by the natives of this country. De Candolle thinks 
there is only one species of champignon, or pratelle d collier, 
in which he follows Bulliard. Peesoon retains two in 
his Synopsis Fungorum, Paulet five, and Micheli ten ! 
Vid. De Cand, Essai, p. 336. 
The two plants that Persoon describes are, the common 
champignon, Jg. campestris of authors, and Ag. edulis^ 
which will be presently described, for I cannot but think 
