216 
Journal of Mycology 
[Vol. 11 
simimer, which had they occurred at Asheville would have been 
taken for A. cothurnata without hesitation. The main difference 
therefore would seem to be in the spores. These are described in 
A. cothurnata as being globose or nearly so, with a large, oil 
globule or nucleus which nearly fills the interior of the spore. The 
spores of A. pantherina are elliptical. What has been confidnetly 
referred to A. cothurnata is very abundant at Asheville. It is in 
perfect agreement with figure and description except in the spore 
characters. Numerous examinations have been made during the 
past four years giving always the same results — an elliptical 
spore similar in size and measurements to that of A. pantherina, 
without an oil globule of any size. In view of the perfect agree- 
.ment in other respects the difference in spore characters has been 
a continual puzzle. Later, in examining anew herbarium speci¬ 
mens, it was found that in these the spores were exactly as de¬ 
scribed. They were globose or nearly so and the cell contents had 
almost entirely disappeared, their place being taken by a large 
globule which almost entirely filled the interior of the spore. In 
the Asheville plant therefore the spores in the fresh plant are in 
accord with those of A. pantherina and the points of difference are 
due to secondary changes. 
This view would seem the more reasonable when one con¬ 
siders that the presence of a large oil globule to the exclusion of 
the proper cell contents is abnormal in a spore. A specimen of 
A. pantherina which was kept for several weeks in Sweden and 
examined at intervals showed also the same change in its spores. 
Whether such a change in the spores of herbarium specimens of 
the Agarics often takes place, and whether it always takes place in 
this species, I am unable to state. 
In view of these facts it seems safe to suggest that A. cothur¬ 
nata may well be considered a color form of A. pantherina. I 
believe that this will be accepted by those who examine living 
specimens of both forms. In this connection it may be of value to 
suggest also that our A. spreta is not distinct from A. cinerea 
Bres. Certain points of similarity led to this belief several years 
ago and it has been confirmed by Bresadola, to whom specimens 
and photographs of A. spreta have been sent. Bresadola’s descrip¬ 
tion does not cover all the forms in which this variable species 
occurs, nor does his figure well represent it. He states, how¬ 
ever, in a letter that his plant is exactly shown in Atkinson’s figure 
of A. spreta. In the southern mountains this species is very 
abundant. During the summer it may be found in profusion in 
our woods and groves, vieing in abundance with A. Caesarea, 
which is at times our commonest species. Pure white forms are 
not rare and in stature all conceivable variations may be found. 
Some compare well with Bresadola’s figure, but for the greater 
part they are much more robust, the extreme forms being very 
unlike the form which he has considered the type. 
