Plate 18, Figure 72.—Amanita cæsarea. Different stages of development (2/3 natural size). Cap, stem, gills, veil orange or yellow. Volva white. Copyright.
In the button stage the plant is ovate and the white color of the volva, which at this time entirely surrounds the plants, presents an appearance not unlike that of an egg. The volva splits open at the apex as the stem elongates. The veil is often connected by loose threads with the outer portion of the stem and as the pileus expands this is torn away, leaving coarse floccose scales on the stem. Some of the different stages in the opening of the plant are shown in Fig. [72]. This illustration is taken from a photograph of plants (No. 3726, C. U. herbarium) collected at Blowing Rock, N. C., September, 1899. The plant is said to be one of the best esculents, and has been prized as an article of food from ancient times. Great caution should be used in distinguishing it from the fly agaric and from other amanitas.
- PLATE 19.
- Fig. 1.—Amanita rubescens
- Fig. 2.—A. cæsarea.
- Copyright 1900.
Amanita rubescens Fr. Edible, but use great caution.—The reddish amanita, Amanita rubescens, is so called because of the sordid reddish color diffused over the entire plant, and especially because bruised portions quickly change to a reddish color. The plant is often quite large, from 12–20 cm. high, the cap 8–12 cm. broad and the stem 8–12 mm. in thickness, but it is sometimes much smaller. It occurs during the latter part of the summer and in early autumn, in woods and open places.
