G R O W I N G ABOUT HALIFAX. 57
AGARICUS Jlipitatus, pileo hemifpharico vifcido, acuminato, LXV.
latnellis albis, Jiipite longo cylindrico albo. Sp. PI. 1642. cly{em>.
No. 16.—Hud/on Angl. 691.
SHIELD or BUCKLER AGARIC.
T A B . LVIL
THE root is a little, oblong, hard tubercle, emitting a few
black fibres.
The item is hard, ilender, cylindrical, the thicknefs of a duck's
quill, and five or fix inches high ; it is folid, and covered with
a whitiih grey powder at firft, afterwards it becomes fiftular,
and changes to a dark brown or blackiih colour; the furface
is fmooth, and the fubftance -eafily divides in filaments like
hemp.
The curtain is white, vaniihes and difappears while the
plant is young.
The gills are arranged in three feries; thofe of the third adhering
to the ftem by a broad bafe, the reft pointed at each
extremity, and broad in the middle ; they are numerous, and
of a thin, pliable, and very delicate fubftancethe colour at .
firft a greyiih white, turning black in the progrefs.
The pileus is hemifpherical, fometimes terminating in a
ihort conical apex j it is fmooth, and while young of a dead
white, and covered with a ilippery glutin ; when old it becomes
dry, and changes to a browniih moufe colour; in decay the rim
lacerates, and .the whole turns black and diifolves. In dry feafons,
I have fometimes feen the rim roll upwards, without breaking,
and ihew the points of the gills all round, on the upper-fide.
There is a variety of this very frequent in meadows in this
neighbourhood, which is throughout of a yellowiih brown or
buff colour.