xii I N T R O D 1J -C T 1 0 N.
F i G. r
Shews the gills arrangéd in oneferies only, being all extended from,
the top of the item to the rim of the pileus ; as in the Agaricus integer*,
hiridus, Jimitarius, &c.
The gills furniih us with many other aids, which muft neceflarily be attended
to, in order to the inveftigatife/of fpccies. là fome they are narr
ow and arched, fo as to render the lower furfàce of the Agaric, ¿ it
were excavated or hollow ; in others they are ftraight, making the lower
furface nearly plain4 or flat ; iu others again they are broad arid deep, fo
as to render it prominent or bellied^. Ja fome they are thin, numerous.*
and very clofèly arranged ; in others they are gfofs and remote''. In fome
the firft feries adheres by a broad bafe to the top of the ftem-^, and grow
narrower towards the extremity ; in others they are broad; and lopped off
at the bafe, either adhering to the item by a fmall claw,?, or not all adhering
thereto. In fome they are broadeft in the middle, growing nâr- ^
rower4 to each extremity; in others they are narrow and pointed at the
bafe, and grow broader and broader to the"extremity, where they are
lopped off obtùfely*. -The above circumftances regarding the gills being
confiant, ought ,by no means to be dii regarded in the defcription of
the fpecies.
Much confufion has long .prevailed in this genus'of plants, chiefly
owing to the brief, or obfeure defcriptioirwhich have been given of them;
• for their parts are fo few, that every one of them ought to be regarded
with the greateft care, with all that is lingular, and-peculiar to its circumftances.
In defcribing ati Agaric, every part of the plant ihould be examined,
in refpeâ.to the following particulars.
The'
H 1 B B S Taï>> 3> M 4 0 . - ^ - # a b . m 3 6—Ta l i " . 23, W Ê I d Tab, 1 4 4 .
/ Tab, t t , + 3 / Xabi 3, 4 z g Tab. 6 . J—Î Tab. .7, Ï&, 33 -i Tab. '38. ..
I N T R Û D' V C T . I O N. xiii
The Root, whether tapering, bulbous, comprciTed, or of what other
%ure - note the colour and eonfiftance of the fibres, and-to what they
adhere'; whether, the root • • • • • • •
and if more:how many: fay in what fituatien-it-grows, and-at what feafon.
Note whether it be furniihed with a volva, and i f there xs a volva fay
of W W H figure, texturg,:, colour and duration; if it. periihes and difai,
Dears before the other parts, fay how, and at .what age-of the plant :—
- under thifhoad, note alio, the duration of thc|plant, whether it fprings
up and periihes* in the fpace 'of a few .hours, in one or two days, or whether
it abides for wxeks.
Of the Stem fay, whether upright or leaning; if leaning, whether in/
a regular curve, — I in .various directions; whether hard and firm
ori' bein«" preifed between the fingers; or freely yielding to a gentle pref-
' fure • whether folid, and of the fame fubftance throughout, orjijlular,
hollow within! whether eafily dividing in filaments, of of a brittle fpongy
fubftance, tot divifible in filaments / fay, how thick,, how tall, of what
.colour both within arid without.
If there bl|a Curtain, fay, at what age of the plant it breaks, and how,
-of what colour and confiftence.it is, arid whether it entirely vanifhes, or
leaves any veftages.
Of the Gills, as before mentioned, lav,-if they are in one, two;'or
• three feries/;• whether broad or narrow, many or few;! whether fine or
coarfe; whether adhering to the ftem by a narrow claw, by a bread
' bafe,.- or not touching to the ftem. Say of what -colour from ftrft to laft.
Note, whether they yield a milky-fluid, on being wounded or broken ;
.'and if fuch a fluid, fay of what'colour, iafte, and.fmell.
Of the Pileus, note,- what figure it -¿flumes, from firft to laft ; what
"diameter in a ftate' of perfection, jfec at full; growth 5 whether waved,
undulated, or Crumpled round the margin-, or regular and even; whether
- - • - . the