Fig. 175.—Cantharellus cibarius (reduced).
Fig. 176.—Armillaria mellea. (½ nat. size): a root of a Fir; b rhizomorpha-strands; c-f fruit-bodies in four different stages of development.
Fig. 177.—The mycelium of Armillaria mellea (“Rhizomorpha”) (nat. size).
About 4,600 species belonging to this order have been described.
On account of the large number of species the order is divided into several sections:
1. Agaricinei; fruit-body fleshy; lamellæ membranous, knife-like, with sharp edge; basidia crowded together. The FOLLOWING HAVE WHITE SPORES:—Amanita (Fly Mushroom), with volva, and generally also the upper ring on the stalk; many are poisonous, such as A. muscaria (Fig. [178]) which has bright red pileus with white spots, A. pantherina and A. phalloides; A. cæsarea is edible.—Lepiota procera (Parasol Fungus) is one of the largest Mushrooms; it has a scaly pileus and moveable ring (edible).—Armillaria mellea has been mentioned above (Figs. [176], [177]).—Tricholoma, lamellæ indented near the stalk; T. gambosum (Pomona Fungus) belongs to the best of edible Fungi; T. personatum often forms fairy rings (see above).—Clitocybe, lamella decurrent; C. nebularis is edible.—Pleurotus, stalk eccentric; P. ostreatus (Oyster Mushroom) grows in clusters on tree-stems (edible).—Collybia and Mycena, species numerous, small.—Spores rose-red: Volvaria and Hyporhodius.—Spores Brown: Cortinarius, with cobweb-like veil; Pholiota, membranous veil and ring; P. squarrosa in clusters on tree-stems; P. mutabilis, on tree-stumps (edible).—Spores Violet-purple: Hypholoma, Psalliota; to this section the common edible Mushroom (Fig. [172–174]) belongs, with annulus and chocolate-coloured lamellæ; it is cultivated for the sake of the fine flavour.—Spores Black: Coprinarius.
Fig. 178.—Fly Mushroom (Amanita muscaria).