specific name from the resemblance of its stem to
that of the seed-stalk of an onion. One form has a yellow or yellowish
cap, while the other has a white or fair cap. It seems to delight to
grow in well rotted sawdust piles and hot houses. The specimens
represented in Figure 37 were collected in Cleveland and photographed by
Prof. H. C. Beardslee.

_Lepiota acutesquamosa. Wein._

THE SQUARROSE LEPIOTA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 38.--Lepiota acutesquamosa. Two-thirds natural
size, showing small pointed scales.]

Acutesquamosa is from _acutus_, sharp, and _squama_, a scale; so called
from the many bristling, erect scales on the pileus. The pileus is two
to three inches broad, fleshy, convex, obtuse, or broadly umbonate; pale
rusty with numerous small pointed scales, which are usually larger and
more numerous at the disk.

The gills are free, crowded, simple, white or yellowish.

The stem is two to three inches or more long; stuffed or hollow,
tapering upward slightly from a swollen base; below the ring rough or
silky, pruinose above, ring large. The spores are 7-8x4u.

They are found in the woods, in gardens, and frequently in greenhouses.
There is a slight difference between the specimens growing in the woods
and those in the greenhouse. In the latter the pubescent covering is
less dense and the erect scales are more numerous than in the former. In
older specimens these scales fall off and leave small scars on the cap
where they were attached. The specimens in Figure 38 were gathered in
Michigan and were photographed by Dr. Fisher of Detroit.

_Armillaria. Fr._

Armillaria, from armilla, a bracelet--referring to the ring upon the
stem. This genus differs from all the foregoing white-spored species in
having the gills attached to the stem by their inner extremity. The
spores are white and the stem has a collar, though a somewhat evanescent
one, but no wrapper at the base of the stem as in the Amanita and
Amanitopsis. By the collar the genus differs from the other genera which
are to follow.

The Amanita and Lepiota have the flesh of the stem and the pileus not
continuous, and their stems are, therefore, easily separated from the
cap, but in the Armillaria the gills and the pileus are attached to the
stem.

_Armillaria mellea. Vahl._

THE HONEY-COLORED ARMILLARIA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 39.--Armillaria mellea. Two-thirds natural size.
Honey colored. Tufted with dark-brown fugitive hairs.