Agaricus 
AURANTIUS 
Orange Mushroom 
AGARICUS LknmGen.Pl Cryptogamia FungI. 
Fungus horizontalis fubtus lamellofus. 
Rail Syn: Gen. r. Fungi. 
AGARICUS aurantius pileo conico vifcido aurantio, lamellis luteis, ftipite nudo. LightfooC. Flor. Scot. 
A I 02 5 ' 
AMANITA glutinofus, flavus, pileo umbonato. Haller, hijl. n. 2420. 
FUNGUS parvus, lubricus, aureus, lamellis raris, amplioribus, pediculo crafliore. Mich. p. 147. 
FUNGUS aurantii coloris capitulo in conum abeunte. Vaillant Bot. 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 
copiofe nobifcum. 
STIPES uncialis, ad triuucialem, nudus, fiftulofus, fra- 
gilis, et admodum fiffilis, crafliufculus, fubtili- 
ter ftriatus, lasvis, faepe tortuofus^ plerumque 
croceus. 
PILEUS uncialis, aut biuncialis, raro triuncialis, utplu- 
rimum conicus, praefertim in junioribus, lubri- 
cus, et fubvifcidus, primo coccineus, dein 
croceus, feu aurantius, demum niger; non- 
nulli formam conicam retinent ufque ad diflo- 
lutionem, alii plani fiunt vertice tumefcente. 
LAMELLAE primo albidae, dein fubcroceae, fi contun- 
dantur ftatim nigrefcentes. 
Found plentifully enough with us in elevated paftures, 
and for the moft part fingly. 
STALK from one to three inches high, naked, hollow, 
brittle, and much difpofed to fplit, thickifh, 
finely ftriated, fmooth, often twilled, and for 
the moft part faffron-coloured. 
; STALK one or two, feldom three inches broad, gene- 
rally conical, efpecially when young, flippery, 
and fomewhat clammy, at firft of a bright 
fcarlet colour, then faffron or orange-coloured, 
and finally black ; fome preferve their conical 
form even in decay, others become flat with a 
prominent crown. 
GILLS firft whitifh, afterwards fomewhat faffron- 
coloured, on being bruifed quickly becoming 
black. 
As this Fungus is fo diftinguiftiable for its colours, fo diftinflin its fpecific chara&ers, and withal fo common, it 
is matter of admiration that we do not find more notice taken of it by Authors. Mr. Lightfoot in his Flora 
Scotica has given an accurate defcription of it, which cannot fail of making it known : he quotes Schjeffer’9 
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 a:us ; but confidering his defcription, as well as that of Vaillant, who gives 
a figure to which Linnzeus refers, we are certain it rauft be a different plant. If the fragilis of Mr. Hudson be 
the fragilis of Linn a: us, it is a very different plant from ours indeed. Vid. Schteff. 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 
dwarfifh 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 
Iplit. 
It is found in perfe&ion about the middle of September. 
It does not poflefs any particular acrimony ; but is not numbered with fuch as may be eaten with fafety. 
