e elliptical, but _the content is quite
constantly finely granular_, while the spores of _A. cothurnata_ are
perhaps more constantly globose or nearly so, but the spore is _nearly
filled with a highly refractive oil globule or "nucleus."_ The pileus
of _A. frostiana_ is also thinner than that of _A. cothurnata_. It is
nearer, in some respects, to specimens of _Amanita pantherina_ received
from Bresadola, of Austria-Hungary.

[Illustration: FIGURE 71.--Amanita spreta. The two outside plants show
the free limb of the volva lying close against the stem (natural size,
often larger). Copyright.]

=Amanita spreta= Pk. =Said to be Poisonous.=--According to Peck this
species grows in open or bushy places. The specimens illustrated in Fig.
71 grew in sandy ground by the roadside near trees in the edge of an
open field at Blowing Rock, N. C., and others were found in a grove. The
plants are 10--15 cm. high, the caps 6--12 cm. broad, and the stems
8--12 mm. in thickness. The =pileus= is convex to expanded, gray or
light drab, and darker on the center, or according to Dr. Peck it may be
white. It is smooth, or with only a few remnants of the volva, striate
on the margin, and 1--.5 cm. thick at the center. The =gills= are white,
adnexed, that is they reach the stem by their upper angle. The =stem= is
of the same color as the pileus, but somewhat lighter, white to light
gray or light drab, cylindrical, not bulbous, hollow or stuffed. The
=annulus= is thin and attached above the middle of the stem. The =volva=
is sordid white, and sheathes the stem with a long free limb of 3--5
lobes. It splits at the apex, but portions sometimes cling to the
surface of the pileus.

Figure 71 is from plants (No. 3707, C. U.) collected at Blowing Rock, N.
C., September, 1899.

=Amanita caesarea= Scop. =Edible=, _but use great caution_.--This plant
is known as the orange amanita, royal agaric, Caesar's agaric, etc. It is
one of the most beautiful of all the agarics, and is well distributed
over the earth. With us it is more common in the Southern States. It
occurs in the summer and early autumn in the woods. It is easily
recognized by its usually large size, yellow or orange color of the cap,
gills, stem and ring, and the prominent, white, sac-like volva at the
base of the stem. It is usually 12--20 cm. high, the cap 5--10 cm.
broad, and the stems 6--10 mm. in thickness, though it may exceed this
size, and depauperate forms are met with which are mu