The amateur or beginner may be well satisfied
if after one summer spent in studying mushrooms he can remember the
distinguishing types of the various genera, and can say with certainty,
"This is a Russula, or this a Cortinarius, or this a Tricholoma." He
will then feel he has taken one important step in this "royal road."

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERA OF HYMENOMYCETES.

ORDER 1. AGARICS.

The names of the genera are all derived from Greek and Latin words.
Stevenson, in his book on British Fungi, has given the original words
and also their meanings. We take the liberty of copying the English term
only, and will place it beside the name of each genus.

SECTION 1. WHITE SPORES, OR LEUCOSPORAE.

The first genus we will mention is:

+HYGROPHORUS, from a word meaning moist.+

This genus contains plants growing on the ground. They soon decay. The
cap is sticky or watery, the gills often branched. It has a peculiarity
in the fact that the hymenial cells, or the layer of mother cells,
contained in the gills, change into a waxy mass, at length removable
from the trama. The trama is that substance which extends with and is
like in structure to the layer of mother cells.[1] It lies between the
two layers of gills in Agarics. The gills seem full of watery juice, and
they are more or less decurrent, _i. e._, extend down the stem. This
genus contains many bright-colored and shining species.

[Footnote 1: In the young plant it forms the framework of the gills.]

We are obliged to refer to the hymenial layer in this place, though the
beginner will scarcely understand the meaning of the term. The
distinguishing peculiarity of this genus consists in the cells changing
to a waxy mass. In the chapter on the structure of mushrooms we have
tried to explain something about the cells and the Hymenium.

+LACTARIUS = milk.+

This genus is fleshy, growing on the ground; the cap is often depressed
in the centre. The gills are adnato-decurrent, that is, partly attached
and prolonged down the stem. They are waxy, rather rigid and acute at
the edge. The distinctive feature is the milk that flows when the gills
are cut. Sometimes the milk changes color.

+RUSSULA = red.+

This genus grows on the ground, is fleshy, and soon decays. The cap is
depressed, or becomes so at a later stage of growth. The stem is
polished, generally white, and is very brittle. The gills are rigid,
fragile, with an acute edge, and mostly equal in le