A GARICUS OVATUS. PuCKE R’D M USHROOM. 
AGARICUS Linnai Gen. PI. Cryptogamia Fungi. 
Rail Syn. Gen. i. Fungi. 
AGARICUS ovatus pileo ovato fubplicato, ftipite nudo ad bafin attenuato fcabriufculo ; lamellis creber- 
rimis fubcoalefcentibus. 
AMANITA pileo ovato ftriato, cinereo, annulato, fugaci. Haller hifl. helv. n. 2479. 
AGARICUS ovatus. Scopoli FI. Carniol. n. 1579* Diagn. Albus , cefpitofus ; vertice rufefcente ; Jlipite cy- 
lindrico et annulo fugaci cinSto. 
AGARICUS ; volva exceptus, pileo campanulas, ftriato, vertice lasvi, petiolo annulato, cylindraceo, 
fiftulofo, in bafin roftratum definente. Gleditch , Method. Fungor, p. 89. 
FUNGUS, qui volvam vix egreflus in atramentum refolvitur, pileolo campanulas, plumbeo, vertice 
lajvi, reliqua parte ftriato, pediculo cylindrico, albo, fiftulofo, radice roftrata. Michel. N‘ 
PI. G. 189. t. 80. f 5. 
FUNGUS multiplex ovatus cinereus. Vaill. p. 73. f. 1 2. fig. io, 11. 
FUNGUS fuperficiei murini coloris, lamellis albicantibus. Rail Syn. p. 5. 21. 
AGARICUS plicatus , ftipitatus, pileo ovato ftriato plicato cinereo, vertice laevi, ftipite annulato fiftulofo, 
bafi fubulato. Pucker’d Agaric, Lightfioot Flora Scotica, p. 1023. Schaffer, icon. tab. 17, 
67, 68. 
STIPES : Stipites plures e terra aut ligno femiputrido 
aggregati rh afliirgentes, inferne extra pileum 
fcabriupculi ; ad bafin attenuati, fufci, fuperne in- 
tra pileum albiffimi, fubfulcati, ad apicem 
fenfim attenuati, in adultis ftipes femipedalis, 
fubcylindricus, laevis, craffitie minimi digiti 
aut major evadit, modice firmus et carnofus, 
fiftulofus, nudus ; tranfverfim fe&us circulos 
in came exhibens. 
VOLVA nulla. 
PILEUS primum ovatus aut obtufe conicus, circa orem 
contraftus, et fubplicatus, folidus, pondero- 
fus, pallide fufcus ; in adultis fubcampanula- 
tus, latitudine ad tres uncias accedens, muri- 
nus, maculis umbrinis aut ferrugineis praeci- 
pue ad verticem notatus, vertex faturatius co- 
lorata, laevis, fubinde vero fubfquamofa ; late- 
ra plus minufve fulcata, demum fere planus, 
margine revoluto. 
LAMELLA creberrima , compa5la, latae, filamentis 
tranfiverfis nudo oculo inconfpicuis connexa , unde, 
ita coalefcunt (prefertim in junioribus) ut la- 
mellam integram vix feparare queas, primum 
alba;, mox pars inferior dimidia nigrefcit, et 
tandem totae lamellae in liquamen atramento- 
fum refolvuntur ; fuperficies interna pilei in 
junioribus farina fubtiliffima cana adfperfa. 
STALKS, generally fpringing from the earth, or de- 
cayed wood, in clufters ; the lower part, 
without the cap, roughifh, of a brown co- 
lour, and tapering to the bafe ; the upper part, 
within the cap, very white, {lightly grooved, 
and tapering gradually to the top ; when full 
grown, it becomes fix inches high, nearly cy- 
lindrical, fmooth, and the thicknefs of the 
little finger, or larger, moderately firm and 
flefhy, hollow and naked, and cut through 
the middle ftiews circles in the flefhy part. 
RING wanting. 
CAP firfi oval or obtufely conical, the mouth contract- 
ed, and puckered around the ftalk, folid, 
heavy, and of a light brown colour ; in the 
full grown ones , fomewhat bell-fhaped, about 
three inches in breadth, of a moufe colour, 
marked with umber coloured or ferruginous 
fpots, particularly at the top ; the top of a 
deeper colour, fmooth, but fometimes {lightly 
chopped ; the fides more or lefs deeply grooved, 
becoming finally almoft flat, the edge curling 
up. 
GILLS very numerous , compact, and broad, connected 
together by tranfiverfie filaments , inconfpicuous to 
the naked eye , whence they fo coaiefce, that 
it is difficult to feparate a Angle gill entirely ; 
at firft white, quickly the lower half becomes 
of a blackifh colour, and laftly the whole of 
the gills diflolves into a black inky liquid ; the 
internal furface of the cap, in the young ones, 
is fprinkled over with a very fine grey powder. 
IT appears to be a matter of much doubt, whether this Fungus, common as it appears to be in mol parts of 
Europe be defcribed by Linnseus. Certainly there are none of his Agaric's, which accord exaflly with ours: 
neither’ do Haller, or Scopoli, quote Linnjeus in their defcriptions of it. Schjeffer, who appears to be too 
fond of multiplying plates, has given it in no lefs than three. It is true, by this means, the plant is reprefented in 
its various ftates ; but, perhaps, thefe might have been fatisfaftorily exhibited in a fingle one.— If plants are thus to 
be delineated in all their varieties, natural hiftory muft fink under its own weight. 
I fufpeft this fpecies to be the Fungus Juperficie murini colaris lamellis albicantibus of Rav, p. j. n. 21. but cannot 
fixit with certainty Scopoli has given it the name of ovatus, which I have retained, with Mr. Lightfoot’s 
Enaliih name who has very accurately defcribed it. I agree with him entirely in confidering it as a fpecies diftinS 
from the fimet’arius, and with which, in my opinion, it has but little real affinity. The defcnption and figure here 
eiven when contrafted, will make it unnneceffary to particularize the pecuharties which diftinguilh each. But 
there ’is a fmeularity of llruaure, occuring in the ovatus, which feems worthy of remark. The Gills are connefted 
together by immerous tranfverfe bars or filaments, difcoverable only when greatly magnified : the ufe of thefe ap- 
pear* to be to keep the Gills at an equal dlflance from each other, and thereby prevent the fruflifications which are 
lituated on the flat furface of the lamelte, from being preffed on, and deftroyed, by their very great clofenefs. I 
have not hitherto obferved this peculiarity of ftrufture in any other Fungus: in the finetarms it certainly does not 
exifl: Thefe connefting filaments in the ovatus, make it exceeding difficult to feparate one of the lamellae entire. 
Thefe Funri are very common with us in the borders of wet meadows, near the roots of willow trees, 111 gardens 
alfo near houfes, and bv the fides of roads. They are found in the greateft plenty from the beginning of Sep- 
tember to the end of October. I have alfo found the fame fpecies in July. From the time oftheir fpringing up, 
to the time oftheir beginning to decay, is about five days. Their manner of decaying is fimilar to that of the 
fmetarius, and feveral others ; the gills diliolving into a very black liquor, like ink, which dropping, car r.es with 
it the feed of the Mufhroom, which is obfervable m the liquor if greatly magnified. 
It varies in fize, and alfo in colour, chiefly from a lighter to a paler brown. 
The Gills are often found full of little maggots. 
There isnoreafon to fufpeft its being poifonous, nor yet can it be recommended as eatable. 
