114 STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



small one but often abundant, and measures from 3-5 cm. high, and 

 the cap 2-4 cm. broad. Hygrophorus coccineus (Schaeff.) Fr., is a some- 

 what larger plant and with a scarlet cap, which becomes yellowish 

 in age, and the gills are adnate. Hygrophorus conicus (Scop,) Fr., is 

 another bright red plant with a remarkable conical pileus, and the 

 gills are adnexed to free. 



Hygrophorus psittacinus Fr., is a remarkably pretty plant, the cap 

 being from bell-shaped to expanded, umbilicate, striate, and covered 

 with a greenish slime. It occurs in woods and open places. The pre- 

 vailing color is yellow, tinged with green, but it varies greatly, some- 

 times yellow, red, white, etc., but nearly always is marked by the 

 presence of the greenish slime, the color of this disappearing as the 

 plant dries, it occurs in pastures, open woods, etc., from mid-sum- 

 mer to autumn. 



Hygrophorus hypothejus Fr., is another very variable plant in color 

 as well as in size, varying from yellow, orange, reddish, sometimes 

 paler, usually first grayish when covered with the olive colored slime. 

 The gills are decurrent, white, then yellow. It occurs in autumn. 



LACTARIUS Fr. 



The genus Lactarhis is easily distinguished from nearly all the 

 other agarics by the presence of a milky or colored juice which exudes 

 from wounded, cut, or broken places on the fresh plant. There are 

 a few of the species of the genus Myccna which exude a watery or 

 colored juice where wounded, but these are easily told from Lactarhis 

 because of their small size, more slender habit, and bell-shaped cap. 

 By careful observation of these characters it is quite an easy matter 

 to tell whether or not the plant at hand is a Lactarius. In addition 

 to the presence of this juice or milk as it is commonly termed, the 

 entire plant while firm is quite brittle, especially the gills. There are 

 groups of rounded or vesiculose cells intermingled with thread-like 

 cells in the substance of the cap. This latter character can only be 

 seen on examination with the microscope. The brittleness of the plant 

 as well as the presence of these groups of vesiculose cells is shared 

 by the genus Russiila which is at once separated from Lactarius by 

 the absence of a juice which exudes in drops. 



In determining the species it is a very important thing to know 

 the taste of the juice or of the fresh plant, whether it is peppery, or 

 bitter, or mild, that is, tasteless. If one is careful not to swallow 

 any of the juice or flesh of the plant no harm results from tasting any 

 of the plants, provided they are not tasted too often during a short 

 time, beyond the unpleasant sensation resulting from tasting some 



