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an oval figure while young, conical when full grown, and in decay it lacerates and dissolves; that of the annulatus is globular while young, bell-shaped when full grown, and withers in decay. The gills in the fimetarius turn from a red to a black color and melt into a black inky fluid; those of the annulatus change to a pale brown and wither. In the fimetarius, the curtain vanishes as soon as it has performed its office; in the annulatus, it persists after its separation from the pileus and remains upon the stem to the last.
As a previous knowledge of the parts of an Agaric Agaric: a type of fungus, typically mushroom-shaped with gills will be necessary for making the above observations, it may not be judged improper to give a short and plain explanation of them, referring to the figures in the plate at the head of this introduction.
Represents a young plant of the Agaricus muscarius, split directly down the middle, to show the situation of the root, stem, and pileus Pileus: the cap of a mushroom while the plant is yet surrounded by the volva Volva: a cup-like structure at the base of the stem; the curtain Curtain: a veil of tissue stretching from the stem to the edge of the cap is removed to show the situation of the gills Gills: the lamellae or spore-bearing plates on the underside of the cap. Fig. 1, the volva. Fig. 4, the gills.
The same plant, represented as a little advanced in growth, to show the manner in which the volva, fig. 1, is torn by the increase of the pileus and stem.
Shows the curtain, fig. 3, extended from the stem to the rim of the pileus, unbroken, and performing its office. Fig. 2, the pileus or hat.