VOLVARIA 
The genus Volvaria is rosy-spored corresponding to Amanita, excepting the 
spores are not white. None of the species have rings. The volva is firmer and 
not friable as in many Amanitas, hence it usually remains as a cup around the 
base of the stipe and does not break up and seldom forms warts as in most of 
the Amanitas. 
A few T Volvarias grow on rotten wood, but most of the species are found in 
rich mould or manured ground. One grows on decaying fungus. 
KEY. 
Plant growing on rotten wood.- 
Plant growing on decaying fungus.f 
Plant growing on the ground.J 
-Pileus dry,.i bombycina. 
*Pileus viscid. 2 Peckii. 
iPlant growing on decayed fungus,.3 Loveiana. 
tPlant very small, less than an inch.IT 
fPIant medium, 2 inches or more.$ 
‘Pileus even, silky,.4 parvula. 
VPileus striate,.5 striatula. 
ITStipe with spreading hairs, . . .6 pubescentipes. 
$Pileus dry.|| 
^Pileus viscid.£ 
llPileus even,... . . 7 volvacea. 
||Pileus striate.^ 
^Volva cup shape,.8 Taylorii. 
IBVolva merely a rim, ... 9 emandatior.* 
£PiIeus fulvous=ochraceous,.10 viscosa. 
£Pileus grey or umber at disk,.n speciosa. 
£Pileus fulginous.12 gloicephala. 
£Pileuis white.9 emandatior.* 
1. Volvaria bombycina. 
Pileus campanulate then expanded, 
dry silky fibrillose. (See Stevenson, 
p. 183.) 
A large plant growing on rotten wood 
recorded from all sections of the country. 
Though of wide distribution it is nowhere 
abundant. It usually grows on maple fre¬ 
quently being found on the decay around 
a sugar tap. Farlow records it on oak and 
we have seen it on beech. Millspaugh in 
reporting it gives its habitat “on dead 
insect” which is evidence enough that he 
is in error. The volva is quite thick and 
we frequently find the plant in the egg state 
looking like a young phalloid. 
2. Volvaria Peckii. Pileus 
thin, convex, viscid. (See Appendix. 
p. 16.) 
Described from a single specimen collec¬ 
ted in N. Y. by Atkinson and never recorded 
elsewhere. 
3. Volvaria Loveiana. Pileus 
white, silky, margin involute. (See 
Stevenson, p. 184.) 
Though there is no printed record of this 
plant in the United States, we have been 
favored with specimens from Prof. John 
Dearness, London, Canada, which grew on 
a decaying Clitocybe monadelphus. It is 
rare in Europe and Prof. Dearness’ find is 
of great interest. The peculiar habitat of 
the plant (decaying agarics) would enable 
Fig. 8. A young plant Volvaria bombycina. it to be recognized at once. 
(From photograph.) 
(*) The author does not state whether the pileus is viscid or dry. a fatal omission in de¬ 
scribing a Volvaria. He no doubt did not know however, as he described it from a dry speci¬ 
men. 
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