 |
| I have listed this taxon here because it
exists in the literature, but there is no doubt that it does not represent a
true biological species. The cracking and lacerations of the cap are purely
environmentally driven and as the photo below suggests, the members of the
same patch can look quite differently whether exposed directly to the
elements or not. The most spectacularly ornamented caps exist in the coastal
areas where exposed to a continuous salty breeze. |
 |
  |
The
picture shows a mixed collection of Agaricus xanthodermus v.
xanthodermus and v. lepiotoides -- growing side
by side in the same lawn demonstrates that the cracked cap is not
environmentally induced, but the variations are rather distinct.
|
 |
|
Macrolepiota rachodes (l) and
Agaricus xanthodermus v. lepiotoides (r) |
