Page:Coloured Figures of English Fungi or Mushrooms.djvu/335

 TAB. CCI.

Linn. Sp. Pl. 160.

beautiful plant is extremely common most of the year. It inhabits cool recceses of woods at midsummer, spreading more at large in the autumn to midwinter even among frost and snow. It is mostly solid, but spongy, and very brittle. The lamellæ are most constantly entire from the edges of the pileus to the stipes, affording a certain specific distinction. It is sometimes sportive in form, but varies most in the tints, and may be found of all the colours of the rainbow, green scarcely excepted. It is often much eaten by snails, and is highly acrid. Krapf has figured it in 10 plates, exhibiting nearly 100 figures, which are erroneously reckoned several species. TAB. CCII.

Linn. Sp. Pl. 1641. Schæff. t. II, &c.

Rev. R. B. Francis favoured me with fine specimens of this plant from the neighbourhood of Holt in Norfolk. It is somewhat spongy; the rich orange juice resides in the extremities of the under-side of the plant, lining the inner edge of the stipes. &c. The gills branch and anastomose, and in ripening or drying become covered with a fine pinky farina. The plant I tasted was very pleasant. Mr. Francis, however, found some that were more or less acrid. I had one dressed, which was very luscious eating, full of rich gravy, with a little of the flavour of muscles. It changes green when bruised, as Dr. Smith and Mr. Stackhouse remark. Is this the real A. Cærfarius? I have even been told A. muscarius of Linnæus is, and that it is good eating. I have found it pleasant tasted, and shall be glad of information on so doubtful 2 point.