The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 36

The pileus is two to four inches broad, flesh rather thin, convex, sometimes slightly umbonate, then depressed in the center, not zoned, viscid, dingy pale ochraceous-tan, margin at first involute, naked, milk mild at first then becoming acrid, white changing to lilac.

The gills are thin, slightly decurrent, crowded, shorter ones very obtuse and truncate behind, connected by veins, white, when wounded becoming lilac.

The stem is soon hollow, two to three inches long, viscid, pallid.

The spores are round, 10.

Not only the milk changes to a lilac when cut, but the flesh itself.

They are found in damp woods during August and September. The plants in Figure 144 were found near Boston, by Mrs. Blackford. These plants grew in Purgatory Swamp. The Sphagnum moss will be seen at the base of the upright plant.

_Lactarius chrysorrheus. Fr._

YELLOW-JUICED LACTARIUS.

Chrysorrheus from two Greek words; _chrysos_, yellow or golden; _reo_, I flow, because the juice soon turns to a golden yellow.

The pileus is rather fleshy, depressed, then funnel-shaped, yellowish-flesh colored, marked with dark zones or spots.

The stem is stuffed, then hollow, equal, or tapering below, paler than the pileus, sometimes pitted.

The gills are decurrent, thin, crowded, yellowish, milk white, then golden-yellow, very acrid.

The milk is white, quite acrid, has a peculiar taste, and changes at once on exposure to a beautiful yellow. This is a common species about Salem, Ohio, and is quite variable in size. Found in woods and groves from July to October. I do not know whether its edible quality has ever been tested. When I found it some years ago I had less faith in mushrooms than I have now.

_Lactarius vellereus. Fr._

THE WOOLY-WHITE LACTARIUS. EDIBLE.

Vellereus from vellus, a fleece. The pileus is white, compact, fleshy, depressed or convex, tomentose, zoneless, margin at first involute, milk white and acrid.

The gills are white or whitish, distant, forked, adnate or decurrent, connected by veins, bow-shaped, milk scanty.

The stem is solid, blunt, p.u.b.escent, white, tapering downward. Spores white and nearly smooth, .00019 by .00034 inch.

This species is quite common; and though very acrid to the taste, this acridity is entirely lost in cooking. It will be readily known by the downy covering of the cap. Found in thin woods and wood margins. July to October.

_Russula. Pers._

Russula, red or reddish. The beginner will have little difficulty in determining this genus. There is such a strong family likeness that, finding one, he will say at once it is a Russula. The contour of the cap, the brittleness of its flesh and of its stem, the fragile gills, and the failure of any part of the plant to exude a milky or colored juice, the many gay colors--will all help in determining the genus.

Many species of Russula strongly resemble those of the genus Lactarius, in size, shape, and texture. The spores, too, are quite similar, but the absence of the milky juice will mark the difference at once.

The cap may be red, purple, violet, pink, blue, yellow, or green. The colored zones often seen in the Lactarii do not appear here. The beginner will possibly find trouble in identifying species, because of variation of size and color. The spores are white to very pale yellow, generally spiny. The pileus is fleshy, convex, then expanded, and at length depressed. The stem is brittle, stout, and smooth, generally spongy within, and confluent with the cap. The gills are milkless, with acute edge, and very tender.

Captain McIlvaine, in his very valuable book, One Thousand American Fungi, says: "To this genus authors have done special injustice; there is not a single species among them known to be poisonous, and where they are not too strong of cherry bark and other highly flavored substances, they are all edible; most of them favorites." I can testify to the fact that many of them are favorites, though a few are very peppery and it requires some courage to attack them.

They are all found on the ground in open woods, from early summer to late fall.

_Russula delica. Fr._

THE WEANED RUSSULA. EDIBLE.

Delica means weaned, so called because, though it resembles Lactarius vellereus in appearance, it is void of milk.

The pileus is quite large, fleshy, firm, depressed, even, s.h.i.+ning, margin involute, smooth, not striated.

The gills are decurrent, thin, distant, unequal, white.

The stem is solid, compact, white, short.

Specimens will be found that resemble Lactarius piperatus and L.

vellereus, but they may be easily distinguished because they have no milk in their gills and the taste is mild. They are not equal to most of the Russulas. Found in woods from August to October.

_Russula adusta. Pers._

THE SMOKY RUSSULA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 145.--Russula adusta.]

Adusta means burned.

The pileus is fuliginous, cinereous, flesh compact, margin even and inflexed, depressed in the center.

The gills are attached to the stem, decurrent, thin, crowded, unequal, white, not reddening when bruised.

The stem is obese, solid, of the same color as the pileus, not turning red when bruised.

The plant resembles R. nigricans, but can readily be distinguished from it because of the thin, crowded gills and failure to turn red when cut or bruised. The spores are subglobose, almost smooth, 8-9; no cystidia. It is found in the woods during August and September. Edible but not first cla.s.s. It is a plant very widely distributed.

_Russula nigricans. Fr._

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 146.--Russula nigricans.]

Nigricans means blackish.

The pileus is two to four inches broad, dark grayish-brown, black with advancing age, fleshy, compact, flesh turning red when bruised or convex, flattened, then depressed, at length funnel-shaped, margin entire, without striate, margin at first incurved, young specimens are slightly viscid when moist, even, without a separable pellicle; whitish at first, soon sooty olive, at length becoming broken up into scales and black; flesh firm and white, becoming reddish when broken.

The gills are rounded behind, slightly adnexed, thick, distant, broad, unequal, the shorter ones sometimes very scanty, forked, reddening when touched.

The stem is rather short, thick, solid, equal, pallid when young, then black. The spores are subglobose, rough, 8-9.