Leucosporee 



wise certainly distinguished by its convex, obtuse, striate pileus, by its Hygrophoms. 

 even and viscous stem, and by its emarginato-free, thin, somewhat dis- 

 tant, whiter gills. Like H. ceraceus in appearance. 



In grassy and mossy places. Common. August to October. Steven- 

 son. 



Spores 8x5/u, Cooke; 8/A Q. 



Received from E. B. Sterling, Trenton, N. J., August, 1897. 



Open grassy woods. 



But three specimens were tested. They were in everyway agreeable. 



LACTA'RIUS Fr. 



Giving lac (milk). 



HE hymenophore continuous with the stem. PileuS Lactarius. 

 somewhat rigid, fleshy, becoming more or less de- 

 pressed, often marked with concentric zones. GUIs 

 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 echinu- 

 late, 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 dis- 

 tinguishing 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 hot- 

 ter 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 

 ii 161 



