RUSSULA. 97 



Gills, pure white, free from the stipe, unequal. 



Stem, white, spongy, thick, erect. 



This a common Russula in the Lehigh Valley woods in the proper and 

 favorable seasons. Taste mild and nutty ; so much so that squirrels are 

 very fond of them. You can often meet with specimens where they were 

 gnawed by those little hungry animals, interfering largely with gathering 

 specimens. These animals are good testers to tell the difference between 

 the acrid and poisonous and the mild species of Russula. 



R. lepida. Fr. Neat Russula. 



Pileus, blood red, becoming pale whitish on the disk, con- 

 vex, expanded, scarcely depressed, margin even, obtuse, dry. 



Gills, rounded behind, rather thick, crowded, connected by 

 veins, often red at the edge. 



Stem, thick, even, white or rose color. 



This is one of our handsomest species of the group. Common in all 

 open woods in the Valley. 



R. rubra. Fr. Red Russula. 



Pileus, unicolor, cinnabar red, becoming pale when old, 

 dry, without a movable pellicle, compact, convex, then flat- 

 tened, here and there depressed, often rivuloso-rimose, margin 

 obtuse, even, flesh white, reddish under the cuticle. 



Gills, adnate, crowded, whitish, then yellowish. 



Stem, solid, even varying white and red. 



Very acrid ; poisonous. Not very common ; now and then you will 

 meet with scattered specimens. 



R. fiavida. Pk. Yellow Russula. 



Pileus, broad, fleshy, convex, yellow, becoming pale with 

 age, flesh white, margin even, then tuberculate striate. 



Gills, white, simple, broad in front, adnately interveined. 



Stem, yellow, smooth, thick, short, equal, tapering up- 

 wards, solid. 



Taste mild. In grassy open w^oods. Chaparral woods. 



