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in Britain with black spores, consequently this position on the fifth
diagram is left vacant.
White-spored species represent the highest types and black-spored
species the lowest, the pink-, brown-, and purple-spored species are
intermediate. Amanita is the highest type of the white-spored
Agarics. The majority of the white-spored species are terrestriali
and more or less persistent, whilst the black-spored species commonly
grow on dung and are evanescent.
Series I. LEUCOSPORI Fr.
(From the white spores; Gr. leukos, white, sporos, a seed.)
Spores white, rarely with a faint shade of ashy-grey, a faint tint
of ochre, pale brown or pale greenish; usually oval or round and
smooth, rarely slightly spinulose. Genera I—XI.
I. AMANITA Pers.
(Galen’s name for certain fungi.)
Veil universal, clothy, distinct from the cuticle of the pileus, after
rupture, as maturity is reached, remaining as a volva at the base
of the stem, with broken patches of its substance frequent on the
pileus. Hymenophore distinct from the fleshy stem. Pileus convex,,
Fig. iQ.—A m a n ita phalloides Link. One-third natura l size.
A, perfect^ p l a n t ; B, section o f young plant showing universal
v e il; L, section of half-grown example showing ru p tu re of universal
veil; 1>, section of mature example; u.v, universal veil; p.v, partial
veil, becoming a n n u lu s ; a , a n n u lu s ; vo, volva.
then expanded, not decidedly fleshy. Stem central, annulate and
volvate. Gills free or nearly so, white or whitish. (Fig. 10.)
All the species grow on the ground in woods and uncultivated
places. A few are edible, others are poisonous or suspicious.
Species 1—17
Volva bulb-like, large, exhibiting a free expanded border in splitting.
Pileus naked or nearly so, and viscid, except 4a, 4h, and
4e ; margin striate, except 4a, 4b, and 4e. Gills free or adnexed.
1—4
Volva splitting regularly, its margin closely adpressed to the stem
and the detached upper part forming patches or warts on the
pileus. Gills free. 5—9
Volva friable, broken into small scales or warts, not persistent at
the somewhat bulbous base of the stem. 10—-13
Stem slightly enlarged
14—17
A. large.
Volva rudimentary, fioccose, disappearing,
at the base, not truly bulbous.
1. A. viposa Quél, {virus, poison) a b c. Wholly white.
P. marg. lobed, fioccose with V. St. somewhat scaly.
Vo. lax, wide.
Poisouous, fetid. Woods ; uncommon. Aug.-Oct. 5 X 7i X f in. Com-
paie 3. This and the next when young greatly resemble the edible
mushroom.
2. A. phalloides Link (from the volva as in Phalloidacecè) a b c .
P. white, yellowish or light, or dark olivaceous. St. somewhat
smooth, white.
Poisonous, narcotic, acrid. Odour when young, strong, not disagreeable,
at length ietid. Woods ; frequent. Apr .-Nov. 3i X 4J X f in. Many
fatal cases of poisoning on record.
3. A. verna Quél, {ver, spring) a b. Wholly white.
P. marg. not lobed, not fioccose. St. fioccose. A. not large.
Vo. somewhat adpressed to stem.
Probably poisonous. Odour not strong, but unpleasant. Woods ; uncommon.
May-Oct. 3 X 5 X I in. Probably a var. of 2. Compare 1.
4. A. mappa Quél, (from the resemblance of the volva to a
napkin, mappa) a b c .
P. dry, patched with remains of Vo., white to pale yellowish-buff.
St. somewhat smooth, white.
Poisonous, fetid. Woods ; frequent. Usually small. Aug.-Nov.
3 X 3i X J in. Compare 12.
4a. A. porphyria A. & S. (from the colour of the pileus) a b.
P. warm brown or purplish-brown; marg. smooth. St. slightly
scaly below, whitish. A. distant.
Odour none. Woods, pine. Sept. 9i X 3i X | in.
4b. A. recutita Gill, (from the smoothly cut edge of the volva) a.
P. sometimes umbonate, dry, glabrous, pale or vinous-umber ;
marg. smooth. St. slightly scaly below, white, becoming faintly
brownish. A. distant. Vo. more or less adpressed.
Woods, pine. Sept. X 4f X | in.
4e. A. aureola Gill, (from the golden colour of the pileus) a b c.
P. slightly umbonate, bright yellow or orange-yellow; marg.