Toadstools, mushrooms, fungi, edible and poisonous; one thousand American fungi
2. LACTARIUS INDIGO, 171 4. LACTARIUS VOLEMUS, 180
7618 words | Chapter 62
LACTA´RIUS Fr.
Giving _lac_ (milk).
The hymenophore continuous with the stem. =Pileus= somewhat rigid,
fleshy, becoming more or less depressed, often marked with concentric
zones. =Gills= unequal, membranaceous-waxy, slightly rigid, milky, edge
acute, decurrent or adnate and often branched. =Stem= stout, central,
rarely excentric except in those growing on trunks. =Spores= globose,
minutely echinulate, white, rarely yellowish.
Nearly all grow on the ground.
Distinguished from all other fungi by the presence of a granular milk
which pervades every part of the plant and especially the gills; it is
commonly white, sometimes changing color and in section Dapetes highly
colored from the first. The nature of the milk, especially its taste,
whether acrid, subacrid or mild, must be carefully noted in
distinguishing species, as it is the most useful characteristic.
In Russula, the only allied genus, the milk-bearing cells are present,
but their contents do not appear as milk.
Many of the species are peppery, acrid, astringent; some mildly so,
others will be long remembered if tasted raw. Yet not a species is
hotter than some radishes, onions, and others of our favorite
vegetables. Who would condemn them because they are peppery? There is
not a single species of Lactarius which retains its pepperiness after
cooking. This quality has to be and is supplied by one of our favorite
condiments—pepper itself. Simply because they are _toadstools_ and
_hot_, they have been condemned without trial. It is remarkable that not
one of the fungi known to be deadly gives any warning by appearance or
flavor of the presence of a poison. The day will probably come when it
can be said that if toadstool eaters will confine themselves to _hot_
species, otherwise attractive, they will run no risk. Panus stypticus is
astringent, not hot.
ANALYSIS OF TRIBES.
PIPERITES (peppery, after _piperitis_, pepperwort). Page 163.
Stem central. Gills unchangeable, not pruinose nor becoming discolored.
Milk white at first, usually acrid.
* TRICHOLOMOIDEI—inclining to Tricholoma. Pileus moist, viscid, margin
incurved and downy at first.
** LIMACINI—_limax_, a slug. Pileus viscid when moist, with a pellicle,
margin naked.
*** PIPERATI. Pileus without a pellicle, hence absolutely dry, often
more or less downy or unpolished.
DAPETES (_daps_, a feast). Page 170.
Stem central. Gills naked. Milk highly colored from the first.
RUSSULARIA (inclining to Russula). Page 173.
Stem central. Gills pallid then discolored, at length dark and powdered
with the white spores. Milk at first white, mild, or from mild becoming
acrid.
* VISCIDI—_viscidus_, viscid, sticky. Pileus viscid at first.
** IMPOLITI—_impolitus_, unpolished. Pileus squamulose, downy or
pruinose.
*** GLABRATI—_glaber_, smooth. Pileus polished, smooth.
PLEUROPUS (_pleura_, side; _pous_, a foot).
Stem excentric or lateral. Growing on trunks. None known to be edible.
I.—PIPERI´TES.
* TRICHOLOMOI´DEI. _Pileus viscid, margin incurved, etc._
=L. tormino´sus= Fr.—_tormina_, gripes. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad, convex,
then depressed, viscid when young or moist, yellowish-red or
paleochraceous tinged with red or flesh color, often varied with zones
or spots, the at first involute _margin persistently tomentose-hairy_.
=Gills= thin, close, narrow, whitish, often tinged with yellow or flesh
color. =Stem= 1.5–3 in. long, 4–8 lines thick, equal or slightly
tapering downward, hollow, sometimes spotted, whitish. =Spores=
subglobose or broadly elliptical, 9–10µ. =Milk= white, taste acrid.
Woods. Adirondack mountains and Sandlake. August. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y.
State Bot.
Poisonous, and Gillet declares it to be deleterious and even dangerous,
and that in the raw state it is a very strong drastic purgative. On the
other hand, Cordier states that almost all authors agree in stating that
it is eaten with impunity, and that Letellier has eaten it more than
once without inconvenience.
Cooke states: “Whether it is poison is rather uncertain, and probably
assumed from its acridity.”
Bulliard says: “It is very acrid and this is changed by heat into an
astringent of such power that a very little suffices to produce the most
terrible accidents.” On the other hand, Boudier says that the presence
of an acrid milk is an indication of no importance, that in certain
parts of the country they eat such Lactaria as even L. piperatus and do
not experience any trouble. Certain Russulæ as acrid as any Lactaria are
known to be inoffensive.
The Russians preserve it in salt and eat it seasoned with oil and
vinegar.
=L. tur´pis= Fr.—_turpis_, base, from its ugly appearance. =Pileus=
large, as much as 3–12 in. broad, _olivaceous inclining to umber_,
fleshy, rigid, convex becoming plane, disk-shaped or umbilicate, at
length depressed, innately hairy at the circumference or wholly covered
over with tenacious gluten, _zoneless_, sometimes tawny toward the
margin, _at length_ entirely _inclining to umber_; _margin for a long
time involute, at the first villous, olivaceous-light-yellow_, then more
or less flattened, at length often densely furrowed. =Flesh= compact,
white, then slightly reddish. =Stem= 1½-3 in. long, ½-1 in. and more
thick, _solid_, hard, equal or _attenuated downward_, even or pitted and
uneven, but not spotted, viscid or dry, _pallid or dark olivaceous_,
ochraceous-whitish at the apex. =Gills= adnato-decurrent, thin, 1–2
lines broad, much crowded, forked, _white straw-color_, spotted brownish
when broken or bruised. =Milk= acrid, white, unchangeable. _Fries._
Gregarious, _rigidly and compactly fleshy_; habit almost that of
Paxillus involutus. It varies with the stem hollow, and the pileus
somewhat zoned.
=Spores= spheroid or subspheroid, uniguttate, echinulate, 6–8µ _K._;
minutely spinulose, 6–8µ _Massee_.
New Jersey, Trenton, _E.B. Sterling_; North Carolina, _Curtis_,
_Schweinitz_; Mt. Gretna, Pa. September, 1898. Along road in woods,
moist places. _McIlvaine._
The species is attractive by its very homeliness and odd individuality.
It is not inviting. Cooked it is coarse and resembles L. piperatus. An
emergency species.
=L. controver´sus= Fr.—_contra_, against; _verto_, to turn. =Pileus= 3
in. and more broad, fleshy, compact, rigid, at the first convex, broadly
umbilicate, when fuller grown _somewhat funnel-shaped, oblique_, on
emerging from the ground dry, flocculose, _whitish_, then with rain
smooth, viscid, _reddish, with blood-colored spots and zones_
(especially toward the margin), margin acute when young, closely
involute, more or less villous. =Flesh= _very firm_. =Stem= commonly 1
in. long and thick, sometimes, however, 2 in. long and then manifestly
attenuated toward the base and often excentric, _solid, obese_, even but
pruinate and as if striate at the apex from the obsoletely decurrent
tooth of the gills, wholly _white_, never pitted. =Gills= decurrent,
thin, very crowded, 1–2 lines broad, with many shorter ones intermixed,
but rarely branched, pallid-white-flesh-color. =Milk= white,
unchangeable, plentiful. _Fries._
Odor weak but pleasant, taste very acrid. Allied to L. piperatus.
In woods. Uncommon. August to October. _Stevenson._
=Spores= echinulate, 8×6µ _W.G.S._; globose, rough, 6–8µ _Massee_.
California, _H. and M._
Edible, rather deficient in aroma and flavor. _Cooke._
(Plate XL_a_.)
[Illustration:
LACTARIUS BLENNIUS.
About one-fourth natural size.
]
=L. blen´nius= Fr. _Gr_—slimy. =Pileus= 3–5 in. across. =Flesh= thick,
firm; soon expanded and more or less depressed, glutinous, dingy
greenish-gray, often more or less zoned with drop-like markings; margin
at first incurved and downy. =Gills= slightly decurrent, crowded,
narrow, whitish or with an ochraceous tinge. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, up to
1 in. thick at the apex, where it expands into the thick flesh of the
pileus, often attenuated at the base, viscid, colored like the stem or
paler, soon hollow. =Milk= persistently white, very acrid. =Spores=
subglobose, 7–8×6µ.
In woods, on the ground, very rarely on trunks.
L. turpis somewhat resembles the present species but differs in the
darker olive-brown pileus and the yellow down on the incurved margin,
especially when young. _Massee._
=Pileus= 2–4 in. broad, fleshy, rarely subzonate, convex, the margin
generally involute and adpresso-tomentose (quite smooth, _Fries_); at
length more or less depressed, dull cinereous-green, at first viscid,
more or less pitted. =Milk= white, not changeable. =Gills= rather
narrow, pale ochraceous, scarcely forked, not connected by veins. =Stem=
1 in. long, ¼-½ in. thick, paler than the pileus, attenuated downward,
obtuse, smooth, at length hollow, sometimes pitted, very acrid. _Berk._
Edible. Coarse.
** LIMACI´NI. _Pileus viscid, etc._
=L. insul´sus= Fr.—tasteless. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad, convex and
umbilicate, then funnel-shaped, glabrous, viscid, _more or less zonate,
yellowish_, the margin naked. =Gills= thin, close, adnate or decurrent,
some of them forked at the base, whitish or pallid. =Stem= 1–2 in. long,
4–6 lines thick, equal or slightly tapering downward, stuffed or hollow,
whitish or yellowish, generally spotted. =Spores= 7.6–9µ. =Milk= white,
taste acrid.
Thin woods and open, grassy places. Greenbush and Sandlake, N.Y. July
and August.
Our plant has the pileus pale yellow or straw color, and sometimes
nearly white, but European forms have been described as having it
orange-yellow and brick-red. It is generally, though often obscurely,
zonate. The zones are ordinarily more distinct near the margin, where
they are occasionally very narrow and close. The milk in the Greenbush
specimens had a thin, somewhat watery appearance. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y.
State Bot.
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. July to September. Common in
mixed woods and grassy places. _McIlvaine._
Edible. _Cordier_, _Curtis_.
L. insulsus is another peppery member of Lactarius which has suffered
unjustly. I have eaten it since 1881, and think it the best of the hot
milk species. Its flesh is not as coarse as others, and is of better
flavor. There is little difference in quality between it and L.
deliciosus.
=L. hys´ginus= Fr. _Gr_—a crimson dye. =Pileus= 2–3 in. broad, rigid, at
first convex, then nearly plane, umbilicate or slightly depressed, even,
viscid, zoneless or rarely obscurely zonate, _reddish-incarnate,
tan-color or brownish-red_, becoming paler with age, the thin margin
inflexed. =Gills= close, adnate or subdecurrent, whitish, becoming
yellowish or cream-colored. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 4–8 lines thick, equal,
glabrous, stuffed or hollow, colored like the pileus, or a little paler,
sometimes spotted. =Milk= white, taste acrid.
Woods. Sandlake and Canoga, N.Y. July and August. Not common.
The reddish hue of the pileus distinguishes this species from its
allies. The gluten or viscidity of the pileus in our specimens was
rather tenacious and persistent. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= subglobose, whitish on black paper, yellowish on white paper,
9–10µ _Peck_; 10×7–8µ _Massee_.
Mt. Gretna, Pa., 1897. Mixed woods. August, September.
Not very acrid. The entire acridity disappears in cooking. Several
specimens were found and eaten, enough to prove it esculent and of good
quality.
*** PIPERATI. _Pileus dry, etc._
=L. plum´beus= Fr.—like _plumbum_, lead. =Pileus= 2—5 in. broad,
compact, convex, then infundibuliform, dry, unpolished _sooty or
brownish-black_. =Gills= crowded, white, or yellowish. =Stem= 1.5–3 in.
long, 3–6 lines thick, solid, equal, thick. =Milk= white, acrid,
_unchangeable_. =Spores= 6.3–7.6µ.
The specimens which I have referred to this species were found in the
Catskill mountains several years ago, growing in hemlock woods, under
spruce and balsam trees. I have not met with the species since. The
pileus in the larger specimens had a minutely tomentose appearance, but
in the dried specimens this has disappeared. They also varied in color
from blackish-brown to pinkish-brown and grayish-brown, but they can
scarcely be more than a mere form or variety of the species the
description of which, as given by Fries, I have quoted. In the Handbook
the pileus is described as dark fuliginous-gray or brown, and Gillet
describes it as black-brown, dark fuliginous or lead color, and adds
that the plant is poisonous and the milk very acrid and burning. Cordier
says that the flesh is white and the taste bitter and disagreeable.
_Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Poisonous. _Gillet._
=L. pergame´nus= Fr.—parchment. _White._ =Pileus= fleshy, pliant, convex
then plano-depressed, spread, zoneless, slightly wrinkled, smooth.
=Stem= stuffed, smooth, changing color. =Gills= _adnate_, very narrow,
_horizontal_, very crowded, branched, white, then straw-color. =Milk=
white, acrid.
Very much allied to L. piperatus, but differing in the _stem_ being
stuffed, at length softer internally, elongated, 3 in., unequal,
attenuated downward and here and there ascending, _quite smooth_; in the
_pileus_ being _thinner, pliant_, elastic, most frequently irregular and
excentric, for the most part flexuous, at first convex (not umbilicate),
then _rather plane, the surface very smooth_, but unpolished and
_wrinkled_ in a peculiar manner; and in the _gills_ being adnate, not
decurrent, _very crowded, very narrow_ (scarcely 1 line broad), always
_straight and horizontal_, not arcuate or extended upward, _soon
straw-color_. The flesh is very milky, but the gills are sparingly so.
_Fries._
In woods. October.
=Spores= subglobose, rather irregular, 6–8µ _C.B.P._; broadly
elliptical, echinulate, 7×5–6µ _Massee_.
Eaten on the continent and Nova Scotia. Edible. _Cooke._
North Carolina, _Curtis_; New England, _Frost_; Ohio, _Morgan._
=L. pipera´tus= Fr.—_piper_, pepper. (Plate XLI, fig. 1, p. 160.)
=Pileus= 4–9 in. broad, _white_, fleshy, rigid, umbilicate when young,
reflexed (margin at first involute) at the circumference, when full
grown wholly _funnel-shaped_, for the most part regular, even, smooth,
zoneless. =Flesh= white. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 1–2 in. thick, solid,
obese, equal or obconical, even, obsoletely pruinose, white. =Gills=
_decurrent, crowded, narrow_, scarcely broader than 1 line, obtuse at
the edge, _dividing by pairs_, arcuate then all _extended upward_ in a
straight line, white, here and there with yellow spots. =Milk= white,
unchangeable, plentiful and very acrid.
_Compact, firm, dry_, inodorous. The pileus becomes obsoletely yellow
when old. Although the gills are spotted with yellow, they do not change
to straw color like those of L. pergamenus. _Fries._
=Spores= white, nearly smooth, 6.3–7.6µ _Peck_; subglobose, 8–9µ
diameter _Massee_; 5×6µ _W.G.S._
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, 1881–1885. New Jersey, Pennsylvania in
woods and on grassy places. July to October. _McIlvaine._
Edible. _Curtis._
L. piperatus is a readily distinguished species. It is very common. In
1881, after an extensive forest fire in the West Virginia forests, I saw
miles of the blackened district made white by a growth of this fungus.
It was the phenomenal growth which first attracted my attention to
toadstools. I collected it then in quantity and used it, with good
results, as a fertilizer on impoverished ground.
It has been eaten for many years in most countries, yet a few writers
continue to warn against it. It is the representative fungus of its
class—meaty, coarse, fair flavor. It is edible and is good food when one
is hungry and can not get better. It is best used as an absorbent of
gravies.
=L. decepti´vus= Pk.—deceiving. =Pileus= 3–5 in. broad, compact, at
first convex and umbilicate, then expanded and centrally depressed or
subinfundibuliform, _obsoletely tomentose or glabrous_ except on the
margin, white or whitish, often varied with yellowish or sordid stains,
the margin at first involute and _clothed with a dense, soft or cottony
tomentum_, then spreading or elevated and more or less fibrillose.
=Gills= rather broad, distant or subdistant, adnate or decurrent, some
of them forked, whitish, becoming cream-colored. =Stem= 1–3 in. long,
8–18 lines thick, equal or narrowed downward, solid, pruinose-pubescent,
white. =Spores= white, 9–12.7µ. =Milk= white, taste acrid.
Woods and open places, especially under hemlock trees. Common. July to
September.
Trial of its edible qualities was made without any evil consequences.
The acridity was destroyed by cooking. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Alabama, _U. and E._; New York, _Peck_, 38th Rep.; West Virginia,
1881–1885, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Woods and open places. July to
October. _McIlvaine._
In common with all peppery Lactarii the present species loses the
quality in cooking. The edible qualities then depend upon texture,
substance, flavor. The species is coarse but meaty and of fair flavor.
=L. velle´reus= Fr.—_vellus_, fleece. =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad, compact,
at first convex and umbilicate, then expanded and centrally depressed or
subinfundibuliform, the _whole surface minutely velvety-tomentose, soft
to the touch_, white or whitish, the margin at first involute, then
reflexed. =Gills= distant or subdistant, adnate or decurrent, sometimes
forked, whitish becoming yellowish or cream-colored. =Stem= .5–2 in.
long, 6–16 lines thick, firm, solid, equal or tapering downward,
pruinose-pubescent, white. =Milk= white, taste acrid. =Spores= white.
Woods and open places. Common. July to September. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y.
State Bot.
=Spores= white, nearly smooth, 7–9µ. _Peck_; 4×8µ _W.G.S._
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Woods and open places. July to
October. _McIlvaine._
Poisonous according to some authors. _Cordier._ Edible. _Leveille._
Eaten it for eighteen years. _McIlvaine._
This common, very acrid species is characterized by the downy covering
of its cap.
It is a coarse species, but meaty. Its acridity is lost in cooking, when
it makes a fair dish.
=L. involu´tus= Soppitt.—involved. Every part white or with a very
slight ochraceous tinge. =Pileus= 1–2 in. across, flesh about 1½ lines
thick, equal up to the margin, compact, rigid, convex, soon becoming
plane or slightly depressed, margin strongly and persistently involute,
extreme edge minutely silky, remainder even and glabrous. =Gills= very
slightly decurrent, densely crowded, not ½ line broad, sometimes forked.
=Stem= ⅔-1 in. long, 2–3 lines thick, equal, or slightly thickened at
the base, glabrous, even, solid, very firm. =Milk= white, unchangeable,
not scanty, very hot. =Spores= obliquely elliptical, smooth, 5×3µ.
Very firm and rigid, resembling in habit L. vellereus in miniature. Most
nearly allied to L. scoticus, but known at once by the exceedingly
narrow, densely-crowded gills and the smooth, elliptical spores.
_Massee._
West Virginia, 1881–1885, plentiful. Angora, West Philadelphia. August,
September, 1897. In mixed woods. _McIlvaine._
Much smaller than L. piperatus. =Pileus= convex, then plane with
depressions in center, margin involute. =Gills= slightly decurrent,
densely crowded, very narrow. =Stem= short, firm, solid. =Milk= white,
very hot.
L. involutus is readily mistaken for small forms of L. vellereus and L.
piperatus. The extremely narrow gills, so close and firm that it takes
sharp eyes to follow them, are a distinguishing mark.
Its flesh is of same consistency as L. piperatus—hard and coarse. It
loses its pepperiness in cooking and is a good emergency plant, or
solvent.
II.—DAPETES—_daps_, food. =Milk= highly colored, etc.
America is rich in this section. Fries records but two species, L.
deliciosus and L. sanguifluus, while America has four. The edible
properties of three are known to be good; L. subpurpureus has not come
under observation, but is added to complete the series as it is probably
edible and is well marked by its dark-red milk. _McIlvaine._
=L. delicio´sus= Fr.—delicious. (Plate XLI, fig. 3, p. 160.) =Pileus=
2–6 in. broad, _orange-brick-color, yellowish or grayish-orange_,
becoming pale, fleshy, when quite young _depressed in the center_,
margin naked, involute, then plano-depressed or broadly funnel-shaped
with the margin unfolded, smooth, slightly viscid, _zoned_ (zones
sometimes obsolete). =Flesh= soft, not compact, pallid, colored at the
circumference only by the juice. =Stem= 1–2 in. and more long, 1 in.
thick, stuffed then hollow, at length fragile, equal or attenuated at
the base, spotted in a pitted manner, of the same color as the pileus or
paler. =Gills= somewhat decurrent, crowded, narrow, arcuate, often
branched, typically _saffron-yellow_, but _becoming pale and always
becoming green when wounded_. =Milk= _aromatic, from the first
red-brick-saffron_. _Fries._
=Spores= white, spheroid, echinulate 7–8µ _K._; 6µ _W.G.S._; echinulate,
9–10×7–8µ _Massee_; subglobose, 7.6–10µ _Peck_.
In woods, under firs, etc.
=Pileus= dingy orange-red becoming pale, often greenish. Every part
turns to a homely green when bruised. It is from 3 to 5 in. across,
thick, convex, then depressed in center, margin at first curved in.
=Gills= decurrent, narrow, saffron-color. =Milk= saffron-red or orange
changing to green; sweet scented but slightly acrid. I have never seen
but one specimen with milk distinctly orange, and changing to green. The
milk in this species varies in color, much depending upon moisture. It
grows in patches, sometimes in clusters.
Edible. _Curtis._
There is no question of its edibility. Old and modern writers applaud
it. Each cooks to his liking and thinks his own way best. It requires
forty minutes' stewing or baking; less time if roasted or fried. It can
be cooked in any way, but, like all Lactarii, it must be well cooked.
=L. in´digo= Schw.—(Plate XLI, fig. 2, p. 160.) =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad,
at first umbilicate with the margin involute, then depressed or
infundibuliform, _indigo-blue with a silvery-gray luster_, zonate,
especially on the margin, sometimes spotted, becoming paler and less
distinctly zonate with age or in drying. =Gills= close, _indigo-blue_,
becoming yellowish and sometimes greenish with age. =Stem= 1–2 in. long,
6–10 lines thick, short nearly equal, hollow, often spotted with blue,
colored like the pileus. =Milk= _dark-blue_.
=Dry= places, especially under or near pine trees. Not rare but seldom
abundant. July to September. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= subglobose, 7.6–9µ long _Peck_.
West Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Solitary and in
groups, in pine and mixed woods. July to September. _McIlvaine._
The exceptional color of L. indigo will halt anyone with ordinary
observing power. It is unnecessary to describe it further. Being a
large, stout plant it frequently lifts the leaf mat as it pushes upward,
making leaf-mounds under which it is hidden, as do many of the
Cortinarii. But even in such instances there are usually a few solitary
plants standing prominently forth as sentinels.
It is edible, but coarse. Good flavor.
=L. chelido´nium= Pk. =Pileus= 2–3 in. broad, at first convex, then
nearly plane and umbilicate or centrally depressed, _grayish-yellow or
tawny_, at length varied with bluish and greenish stains, often with a
few narrow zones on the margin. =Gills= _narrow_, close, sometimes
forked, anastomosing or wavy at the base, _grayish-yellow_. =Stem= 1–1.5
in. long, 4–6 lines thick, short, subequal, hollow, colored like the
pileus. =Spores= globose, 7.5µ. =Milk= sparse, _saffron-yellow_; taste
mild.
Sandy soil, under or near pine trees. Saratoga and Bethlehem.
The milk of this species resembles in color the juice of celandine,
Chelidonium majus. It is paler than that of L. deliciosus. By this
character and by the dull color of the pileus, the narrow lamellæ, short
stem and its fondness for dry situations, it may be separated from the
other species. Wounds of the flesh are at first stained with the color
of the milk, then with blue, finally with green. A saffron-color is
sometimes attributed to the milk of L. deliciosus, which may indicate
that this species has been confused with that, or that the relationship
of the two plants is a closer one than we have assigned to them. _Peck_,
38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Mt. Gretna, Pa. In mixed woods, gravelly low ground. September, October.
_McIlvaine._
A score or more solitary specimens were found and eaten. The substance
and flavor are not distinguishable from L. deliciosus, which is lauded
to the summit of good toadstools.
=L. subpurpu´reus= Pk.—_sub_, under; _purpureus_, purple. =Pileus= at
first convex, then nearly plane or subinfundibuliform, more or less
spotted and zonate when young, and moist _dark-red with a grayish
luster_. =Gills= close, _dark-red_, becoming less clear and sometimes
greenish-stained with age. =Stem= equal or slightly tapering upward,
soon hollow, often spotted with red, colored like the pileus, sometimes
hairy at the base. =Spores= subglobose, 9–10µ. =Milk= _dark-red_.
=Pileus= 2–3 in. broad. =Stem= 1.5–3 in. long, 3–5 lines thick.
Damp or mossy ground in woods and swamps. July and August.
At once known by the peculiar dark-red or purplish hue of the milk,
which color also appears in the spots of the stem and in a more subdued
tone in the whole plant. The color of the pileus, gills and stem is
modified by grayish and yellowish hues. In age and dryness the zones are
less clear, and dried specimens can scarcely be distinguished from L.
deliciosus. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
I have not seen this species.
III.—RUSSULARIA.
* VISCIDI. _Pileus viscid._
=L. pal´lidus= Fr.—_pale._ =Pileus= 3–6 in. broad, flesh-color or
clay-color to _pallid, somewhat tan_, fleshy, umbilicato-convex,
depressed, obtuse, margin broadly and for a long time involute, smooth,
gluey, _zoneless_. =Flesh= pallid. =Stem= 2 in. and more long, about ¾
in. thick, somewhat equal, stuffed then _hollow_, even, smooth, of the
same color as the pileus. =Gills= somewhat decurrent, arcuate, rather
broad, 1½-2 lines and more; somewhat thin, crowded, somewhat branched,
whitish at length of the same color as the pileus. =Milk= white,
unchangeable. _Fries._
Taste _somewhat mild_. Stature that of L. deliciosus, _but more lax in
texture and always pallid_. There is a variety with the pileus inclining
to dingy-brown. _Stevenson._
Mixed woods. September to October.
=Spores= echinulate, almost round, 8µ _W.G.S._; 7–11µ _Cooke_; 9–10×7–8µ
_Massee_.
North Carolina, _Schweinitz_, _Curtis_; Massachusetts, _Frost_;
Minnesota, _Johnson_; Rhode Island, _Bennett_.
Edible. _Cooke._
=L. quie´tus= Fr.—calm, mild. =Pileus= 3 in. broad, fleshy, depressed,
obtuse, margin deflexed, smooth, at first viscid, _somewhat cinnamon_,
flesh-color, disk darker, _somewhat zoned_, soon dry, _somewhat silky_,
opaque, _becoming pale_. =Flesh= white then reddish. =Stem= 2–3 in.
long, ½ in. and more thick, stuffed, _spongy_, smooth, reddish, _at
length beautifully rust-color_. =Gills= adnato-decurrent, somewhat
forked at the base, 1½-2 lines broad, _white then soon brick-red_.
=Milk= white, unchangeable, _sweet_. _Fries._
In woods. August to November. _Stevenson._
=Spores= echinulate, 8–10×6–7µ _Massee_; 10–12µ _Cooke_.
Nova Scotia, _Somers_; New York, _Peck_, Rep. 42.
Edible. _Cooke._ Eaten in France and held in estimation.
=L. theio´galus= Fr. _Gr_—brimstone; milk. =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad,
fleshy, thin, convex, then depressed, even, _glabrous_, viscid,
_tawny-reddish_. =Lamellæ= adnate or decurrent, close, pallid or
reddish. =Stem= 1–3 in. long, 4–10 lines thick, stuffed or hollow, even,
colored like the pileus. =Spores= _yellowish, inclining to pale
flesh-color_, subglobose, 7.5–9µ. =Milk= white, _changing to
sulphur-yellow_, taste tardily acrid, bitterish.
Woods and groves. Common. July to October.
Our plant does not fully accord with the description of the species as
given by Fries. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= subglobose, 7–8µ diameter _Massee_; subglobose, 7.5–9µ _Peck_.
West Virginia, 1881–1885; Mt. Gretna, Pa. July, 1897; New Jersey, common
in mixed woods. July to frost. _McIlvaine._
L. theiogalus possesses all the good qualities of the hot milk species.
While I ate it whenever I chose in West Virginia, I did not again eat it
until 1897 at Mt. Gretna. There several partook of it and thought it
rather coarse, but of good flavor. It requires long cooking.
=L. fuligino´sus= Fr.—_fuligo_, soot. =Pileus= 1–2.5 in. broad, firm,
becoming soft, convex plane or slightly depressed, even, _dry_,
zoneless, _dingy ash-color or buff-gray_, appearing as if covered with a
dingy pruinosity, the margin sometimes wavy or lobed. =Gills= adnate or
subdecurrent, subdistant, whitish then yellowish, becoming _stained with
pink-red or salmon-color where wounded_. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 3–5 lines
thick, equal or slightly tapering downward, firm, stuffed, colored like
the pileus. =Spores= globose, _yellowish_, 7.5–10µ. =Milk= white, taste
tardily and sometimes slightly acrid.
Thin woods and open grassy places. Greenbush and Sandlake, N.Y. July and
August. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
A form with the pileus colored like that of L. lignyotus, but with the
gills much closer than in that species, was found in a swamp near Sevey.
July. _Peck_, 43d Rep.
POISONOUS. _Barla and Reveil_, _Cordier_.
=L. fumo´sus= Pk. =Pileus= 1.5–2.5 in. broad, firm, convex, then
expanded and slightly depressed in the center, smooth, dry, smoky-brown
or sordid-white. =Gills= close, adnate or slightly rounded behind,
white, then yellowish. =Stem= 3–5 lines thick, firm, short, smooth,
stuffed, generally tapering downward. =Spores= distinctly echinulate,
yellow, 6µ in diameter. =Flesh= and =Milk= white; taste at first mild,
then acrid.
=Plant= 1.5–2 in. high.
Grassy ground in open woods. Greenbush. July.
The peculiar smoky hue of the pileus and yellow spores enable this
species to be easily recognized. The flesh when wounded slowly changes
to a dull pinkish-color. Related to L. fuliginosus. _Peck_, 24th Rep.
N.Y. State Bot.
** IMPOLITI. _Pileus downy, etc._
=L. ru´fus= Fr.—red. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad, convex and centrally
depressed, then funnel-shaped, generally with a small umbo, glabrous,
sometimes slightly floccose or pubescent when young, especially on the
margin, zoneless, _bay-red or brownish-red_, shining. =Gills= narrow or
moderately broad, sometimes forked, close, subdecurrent, yellowish or
reddish. =Stem= 2–4 in. long, 3–5 lines thick, nearly equal, firm,
stuffed, paler than or colored like the pileus. =Spores= white, 7.6–10µ.
=Milk= white, taste very acrid.
Low woods and swamps. North Elba. August. Rare.
The red Lactarius is known by its rather large size, dark-red pileus and
intensely acrid taste. It has been found but once in our state. The
flesh is pinkish and the stem sometimes pruinose. It is designated by
authors as very poisonous and extremely poisonous. Cordier even says
that worms never attack it. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Massachusetts, _Frost_; New York, _Peck_, Rep. 23, Rep. 38.
I have not recognized this species. It is given as markedly POISONOUS.
=L. glycios´mus= Fr. _Gr_—sweet; _Gr_—scent. =Pileus= ½-1½ in. broad,
thin, convex nearly plane or depressed, often with a small umbo or
papilla, _minutely squamulose_, ash-colored, grayish-brown or
smoky-brown, sometimes tinged with pink, the margin even or slightly and
distinctly striate. =Gills= narrow, close, adnate or decurrent, whitish
or yellowish. =Stem= ½-1½ in. long, 1–3 lines thick, equal, glabrous or
obsoletely pubescent, stuffed, rarely hollow, whitish or colored like
the pileus. =Milk= white, taste acrid and unpleasant, sometimes
bitterish, odor _aromatic_. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Smell agreeable, of melilot, as that of L. camphoratus.
=Spores= spheroid, echinulate, 6–8µ _K._; subglobose, size variable,
6–10µ _Massee_.
The American plant, so far as observed, does not have the red hues
ascribed to the European.
Haddonfield, N.J., _T.J. Collins_; Scranton, Pa., _Dr. J.M. Phillips_;
Chester county, Pa., September, 1887, on ground in woods, _McIlvaine_.
This small Lactarius was found on several occasions. Its odor is
attractive, but its taste is not. Cooked it is of high flavor, but will
not be liked by many.
=L. aqui´fluus= Pk.—watery. =Pileus= fragile, fleshy, convex or
expanded, at length centrally depressed, dry, smooth, or sometimes
appearing as if clothed with a minute appressed tomentum, reddish
tan-colored, the decurved margin often flexuous. =Gills= rather narrow,
close, whitish, becoming dull reddish yellow. =Stem= more or less
elongated, equal or slightly tapering upward, colored like the pileus,
smooth, hollow, the cavity irregular as if eroded. =Spores= subglobose,
rough, 7.6µ. =Flesh= colored like the pileus. =Milk= sparse, watery.
=Plant= 3–8 in. high. =Pileus= 3–6 in. broad. =Stem= 5–10 lines thick.
Swamps and wet mossy places in woods. Sandlake and North Elba. August
and September.
The relationship of this plant is with L. serifluus, to which it was
formerly referred, but from which I am now satisfied it is distinct. The
hollow stem is a constant character in our plant, and affords a ready
mark of distinction. The plant, though large, is very fragile, and
breaks easily. The taste is mild or but slightly acrid. Sometimes there
is an obscure zonation on the pileus, which, in large specimens, is apt
to be irregular and much worm-eaten. The milk looks like little drops of
water when first issuing from a wound, but it becomes a little less
clear on exposure to the atmosphere. The decided but agreeable odor of
the dried specimens persists a long time. _Peck_, 28th Rep.
This plant is sometimes cespitose. The pileus when dry is tawny-gray and
scaly or cracked scaly. The margin may be even or coarsely
sulcate-striate. The flesh is grayish or reddish-gray. The color of the
lamellæ varies from creamy-white to tawny-yellow. The stem often has a
conspicuous white myceloid tomentum at its base. I have never found this
plant with a white or milky juice, and therefore I am disposed to regard
it not as a variety of L. helvus, but as a distinct species. Its mild
taste and agreeable odor suggested a trial of its edible qualities. It
is harmless, but the lack of flavor induces me to omit it from the list
of edible species. _Peck_, 50th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Var. _brevis´simus_ Pk. Pileus 1–1.5 in. broad, grayish-buff. Gills
crowded, adnate, yellowish or cream-color. Stem very short, 6–8 lines
long.
Black mucky soil in roads in woods. Township 24, Franklin county.
September.
Plant fragrant; sometimes cespitose. _Peck_, 51st Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Angora, West Philadelphia, in moist oak woods. August, 1897,
Philadelphia Myc. Center.
Flesh rather hard when cooked, and insipid. Good as an absorbent or in
emergency.
=L. lignyo´tus= Fr.—_lignum_, wood. =Pileus= 1–4 in. broad, broadly
convex plane or slightly depressed, dry, with or without a small umbo,
generally rugose-wrinkled, _dark-brown, appearing subpulverulent or as
if suffused with a dingy pruinosity_, the margin sometimes crenately
lobed and distinctly plicate. =Gills= moderately close or subdistant,
adnate, white or yellowish, _slowly changing to pinkish-red or salmon
color where wounded_. =Stem= 1–3 in. long, 2–6 lines thick, equal or
abruptly narrowed at the apex, even, glabrous, stuffed, colored like the
pileus, sometimes plicate at the top. =Milk= white, taste mild or
tardily and slightly acrid.
Var. _tenu´ipes_. =Pileus= about 1 in. broad. =Stem= slender, 2–3 in.
long and about 2 lines thick.
Wet or mossy ground in woods and swamps. Adirondack mountains and
Sandlake. July and August. Not rare in hilly and mountainous districts.
_Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= globose, yellowish, 9–11.3µ _Peck_; pale ochraceous,
subglobose, minutely echinulate, 9–10µ diameter _Massee_.
West Virginia mountains, 1881–1885; Eagle’s Mere; Mt. Gretna, Pa.
Solitary and gregarious, moist woods and wooded places. July to
September. _McIlvaine._
In my long experience with the plant I have not seen any change of
color, save that, like the white milk of other species, it darkens
slightly to a cream color. I have found it distinctly umbilicate and
quite umbonate in the same patch.
L. lignyotus is one of the best of Lactarii and quite equal to L.
volemus.
=L. corru´gis= Pk.—having wrinkles or folds. =Pileus= 3–5 in. broad,
firm, convex, then nearly plane or centrally depressed, _rugose
reticulated_, covered with a _velvety pruinosity or pubescence, dark
reddish-brown or chestnut-color_, fading with age to tawny-brown.
=Gills= close, dark cream-color or subcinnamon, _becoming paler_ when
old, sordid or brownish where bruised or wounded. =Stem= 3–5 in. long,
6–12 lines thick, equal, solid, glabrous or merely pruinose, paler than
but similar in color to the pileus. =Spores= subglobose, 10–13µ. =Milk=
copious, white, taste mild.
Thin woods. Sandlake, Gansevoort and Brewerton, N.Y. August and
September.
This curious Lactarius is related to L. volemus, from which it may be
separated by its darker colors and its corrugated pileus. The flexuous
reticulated rugæ present an appearance similar to that of the hymenium
of a Merulius. The pileus is everywhere pruinose-pubescent and the gills
bear numerous spine-like or acicular cystidia or spicules, 4–5µ long.
These are so numerous on and near the edges of the gills that they give
them a pubescent appearance. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
I found many at Mt. Gretna, Pa., up to 6½ in. in diameter. Flesh not so
firm as L. volemus. Stem equal, rugulose, flattened in old specimens.
Milk very slightly acrid.
Better in taste and quality than L. volemus.
=L. lute´olus= Pk.—yellowish. =Pileus= 2–3 in. broad, fleshy, rather
thin, convex or nearly plane, commonly umbilicately depressed in the
center and somewhat rugulose, pruinose or subglabrous, buff-color.
=Flesh= white, taste mild. =Milk= copious, flowing easily, white or
whitish. =Gills= close, nearly plane, adnate or slightly rounded behind,
whitish, becoming brownish where wounded. =Stem= 1–1.5 in. long, 3–5
lines thick, short, equal or tapering downward, solid, but somewhat
spongy within, colored like the pileus. =Spores= globose, 7.6µ broad.
Dry woods. East Milton, Mass. August. _H. Webster._
This species is related to Lactarius volemus and L. hygrophoroides, but
its smaller size and short stem will distinguish it from the former and
its close gills from the latter. Its paler buff-color will separate it
from both. Some specimens have a narrow encircling furrow or depressed
zone near the margin and a slightly darker shade of color on the margin.
The milk constitutes a remarkable feature of the species. According to
the notes of the collector it is exceedingly copious, rather sticky,
serous in character with white particles in suspension. It flows from
many points as soon as the plant is disturbed and it stains the gills.
It is impossible to collect an unstained specimen, so free is the flow
of the milk. He, Mr. Webster, says: “I have never succeeded in picking a
specimen so quietly as to prevent an instant and copious flow of its
milk.” Torrey Bull., Vol. 23, No. 10, 1896.
Angora, West Philadelphia, August, 1897. In oak woods. August,
September. _McIlvaine._
Quite frequent there. My attention was directed to it by the “narrow
encircling furrow or depressed zone near the margin.”
It is of like quality to L. volemus.
=L. Gerar´dii= Pk. =Pileus= 1.5–4 in. broad, broadly convex plane or
slightly depressed, dry, generally rugose-wrinkled, with or without a
small umbo or papilla, _dingy-brown_, the thin spreading margin
sometimes flexuous lobed or irregular. =Gills= _distant_, adnate or
decurrent, _white or whitish_, the interspaces generally uneven. =Stem=
1–2 in. long, 3–6 lines thick, subequal, stuffed or hollow, colored like
the pileus. =Spores= globose, _white_, 9–11.3µ. =Milk= white,
_unchangeable_, taste _mild_.
Woods and open places. Poughkeepsie, _W.R. Gerard_. Greenbush, Sandlake
and Croghan, N.Y. July to September.
This Lactarius closely resembles the Sooty lactarius in color, but
differs from it in its more distant gills, white spores and constantly
mild taste. Wounds of the flesh and gills do not become pinkish-red as
in that plant. From L. hygrophoroides its darker color, hollow stem and
more globose rougher spores separate it. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State
Bot.
In the color of the pileus and stem this species is like the larger
forms of L. fuliginosus. _Peck_, 26th Rep.
Edible. Boston Myc. Club Bull.
*** GLABRA´TI. _Pileus smooth._
=L. vole´mus= Fr.—_volema pira_, a kind of large pear. (Plate XLI, fig.
4, p. 160) =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad, firm, convex, nearly plane or
centrally depressed, rarely funnel-shaped, sometimes with a small umbo,
generally even, _glabrous_, dry, _golden-tawny or brownish-orange_,
sometimes darker in the center, often becoming rimose-areolate. =Gills=
_close_, adnate or subdecurrent, white or yellowish, becoming sordid or
brownish where bruised or wounded. =Stem= 1–4 in. long, 4–10 lines
thick, subequal, variable in length, firm, solid, glabrous or merely
pruinose, colored like the pileus, sometimes a little paler. =Milk=
_copious_, white, taste mild, flat.
Var. _subrugo´sus_. =Pileus= rugose-reticulated on the margin. _Peck_,
38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= globose, white, 9–11.3µ _Peck_; 5–6µ diameter _Massee_.
Very delicious raw and celebrated from early times. _Fries._
Common over the United States, well known everywhere and distinguished
for its edible qualities. It is crisp and unless carefully cooked is
hard and granular. It should have long, slow cooking, though it may be
roasted or fried.
(Plate XLII.)
[Illustration: LACTARIUS HYGROPHOROIDES.]
=L. hygrophoroi´des= B. and C.—resembling Hygrophorus. =Pileus= 1–4 in.
broad, firm, convex or nearly plane, umbilicate or slightly depressed,
rarely funnel-shaped, glabrous or sometimes with a minute velvety
pubescence or tomentum, dry, sometimes rugose-wrinkled and often
becoming cracked in areas, _yellowish-tawny or brownish-orange_. =Gills=
_distant_, adnate or subdecurrent, white or cream-color, the interspaces
uneven or venose. =Stem= .5–1 in. long, 4–8 lines thick, short, equal or
tapering downward, _solid_, glabrous or merely pruinose, colored like
the pileus. =Spores= subglobose or broadly elliptical, _nearly smooth_,
9–11.3µ. =Milk= white, taste mild.
Grassy ground and borders of woods. Albany, Greenbush and Sandlake. July
and August.
This plant has almost exactly the color of L. volemus, but differs from
it in its distant gills, short stem, less copious milk and less globose
spores. Its flesh is white, with a thickness about equal to the breadth
of the gills. It is probably edible, but has not yet been tested. The
typical L. hygrophoroides is described as having the pileus
yellowish-red and pulverulent, and the gills luteous. It is also
represented as a small plant; but our specimens, while not fully
agreeing with this description, approach so closely to it in some of
their forms that they doubtless belong to the same species. We have
therefore extended the description so that it may include our plant. In
wet weather the pileus sometimes becomes funnel-form by the elevation of
the margin. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
Mt. Gretna, Pa., 1897, grassy grounds and borders of woods. Mixed, moist
woods and grassy borders. July to September. _McIlvaine._
=Pileus= up to 4 in. across. =Stem= 1–2½ in., tapering, equal or
tapering downward. When growing in woods the stem is longer than when
growing on borders.
Its edible qualities are excellent.
=L. mitis´simus= Fr.—_mitis_, mild. =Pileus= 1–3 in. broad,
_golden-tawny_, zoneless, fleshy, thin, somewhat rigid, convex,
_papillate_, depressed, papilla vanishing, even, smooth, somewhat
slippery when moist. =Flesh= pallid. =Stem= elongated, 1–3 in. long, ⅓-½
in. thick, stuffed, then hollow, even, smooth, of the same color as the
pileus. =Gills= adnato-decurrent, somewhat arcuate, then tense and
straight, 1–1½ lines and more broad, thin, crowded, a little paler than
the pileus, most frequently stained with minute red spots. =Milk= white,
_mild_, plentiful.
Thin; very much allied to L. subdulcis, but distinguished by the _taste_
being _mild, then somewhat bitterish_, and especially by the _bright,
golden-tawny, resplendent_ color of the pileus and stem. _Fries._
In mixed and pine woods. August to November. _Stevenson._
=Spores= 6–8×5–6µ _Massee_; 10µ _Cooke_; spheroid, echinulate, 6–7µ
_C.B.P._
California, _H. and M._
Edible. _Cooke._ Eaten on the continent.
(Plate XLIII.)
[Illustration: LACTARIUS SUBDULCIS.]
=L. subdul´cis= Fr.—_sub_; _dulcis_, sweet. =Pileus= .5–2 in. broad,
thin, convex, then plane or slightly funnel-shaped, with or without a
small umbo or papilla, glabrous, even, zoneless, moist or dry,
tawny-red, cinnamon-red or brownish-red, the margin sometimes wavy or
flexuous. =Gills= rather narrow, thin, close, whitish, sometimes tinged
with red. =Stem= 1–2.5 in. long, 1–3 lines thick, equal or slightly
tapering upward, slender, glabrous, sometimes villous at the base,
stuffed or hollow, paler than or colored like the pileus. =Spores=
7.6–9µ. =Milk= white, taste mild or tardily and slightly acrid,
sometimes woody or bitterish and unpleasant. =Flesh= whitish, pinkish or
reddish gray, odor _none_.
Fields, copses, woods, swamps and wet places. July to October. Very
common.
This species grows in almost every variety of soil and locality. It may
be found in showery weather on dry, rocky soil, on bare ground or among
mosses or fallen leaves. In drier weather it is still plentiful in
swamps and wet, shaded places, and in sphagnous marshes. It sometimes
grows on decaying wood. It is also as variable as it is common. Gillet
has described the following varieties:
Var. _cinnamo´meus_. =Pileus= cinnamon-red, sub-shining. =Stem= stuffed,
then hollow; taste mild, becoming slightly acrid or bitter.
Var. _ru´fus_. =Pileus= dull chestnut-red; becoming more concave. =Stem=
spongy; taste mild.
Var. _ba´dius_. =Pileus= bay-red, shining as if varnished, with an
obtuse disk and an inflexed, elegantly crenulate margin. =Stem= very
glabrous, hollow.
The first and second varieties have occurred within our limits. The
first also has the stem elastic and furnished with a whitish or grayish
tomentum or strigose villosity at the base, when growing among moss in
swamps. A form occurred in Sandlake, in which some of the specimens were
proliferous. The umbo had developed into a minute pileus. With us the
prevailing color of the pileus is yellowish-red or cinnamon-red.
Sometimes the color is almost the same as that of L. volemus and L.
hygrophoroides, and again it is a tan-color or a bay-red, as in L.
camphoratus, from which such specimens are scarcely separable, except by
their lack of odor. In young plants the pileus usually has a moist
appearance, which is sometimes retained in maturity. Cordier pronounces
the species edible, and says that he has tested it several times without
inconvenience. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= 10µ _Cooke_; 7µ _W.G.S._
West Virginia mountains, 1881–1885; Pennsylvania, New Jersey, everywhere
on moist ground. July to October. _McIlvaine._
Edible. _Curtis._
The description of Fries as enlarged and modified by Professor Peck,
together with that of the varieties placed to the credit of the species
by Gillet, are given above in full. The species with its ascribed
varieties is common and well known. Var. _ba´dius_ occurs in West
Virginia and Pennsylvania. They are all edible and vary but little in
quality. L. subdulcis requires long cooking.
=L. muta´bilis= Pk.—changeable. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad, thin, convex or
nearly plane, zonate when moist, reddish-brown, the disk and zones
darker, zoneless when dry, flesh colored like the pileus. =Milk= sparse,
white, taste mild. =Gills= narrow, close, adnate, whitish, with a
yellowish or cream-colored tint when old. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 3–5 lines
thick, equal or tapering upward, stuffed or spongy within, glabrous,
colored like the pileus. =Spores= subglobose, rough, 7.6µ broad.
Low, damp places. Selkirk and Yaphank, N.Y. June and September.
The species is allied to L. subdulcis, from which the larger size and
zonate pileus separate it. The zones disappear in the dry plant, and
this change in the marking of the pileus suggests the specific name.
They appear to be formed by concentric series of more or less confluent
spots and are suggestive of such species as L. deliciosus and L.
subpurpureus. _Peck_, 43d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
West Virginia, Pennsylvania. Solitary but frequent. In moist woods and
margins of woods. June to October. _McIlvaine._
I have been familiar with and eaten this plant since 1882, but thought
it might be a variety of L. deliciosus, with light-colored milk.
L. mutabilis is an excellent species, equal to any Lactarius.
=L. camphora´tus= Fr.—_camphor._ =Pileus= 1–2 in. across,
_brown_-brick-red, _somewhat zoned, sometimes zoneless_, fleshy, thin,
depressed, dry, smooth. =Stem= short, 1–2 in., stuffed, somewhat
undulated, of the same color as the pileus. =Gills= adnate, crowded,
_yellowish-brick-color_. =Milk= mild, white, odor agreeable, spicy.
_Fries._
_Strong smelling._ So like L. subdulcis that it can be distinguished
safely only by its odor of melilot when dried. _Stevenson._
=Pileus= .5–1.5 in. broad. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 2–3 lines. _Peck_, 38th
Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
=Spores= spherical, echinulate, 6–7µ _Q._; subglobose, 8–9µ _Massee_;
7.6–9µ _Peck_.
Taste and smell not of camphor, but of melilot.
North Carolina, _Curtis_; South Carolina, _Ravenel_; Wisconsin, _Bundy_;
New York, _Peck_, Rep. 23, Mon. 38th Rep.
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, July to October, in moist places. Mixed
woods, etc. _McIlvaine._
Edible. _Gillet._
Its mild taste distinguishes it at once from L. rufus.
It has high but pleasant flavor. If the flavor is too evident to suit
some tastes, it is well to mix milder species with it.
[Illustration: Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine.
PLATE XLIV.]
FIG. PAGE. FIG. PAGE.
Reading Tips
Use arrow keys to navigate
Press 'N' for next chapter
Press 'P' for previous chapter