126 STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



The pileus is fleshy, oval to bell-shaped, becoming plane, and 

 sometimes umbilicate. It is red or blood red in color, sometimes 

 purple, and becoming pale in age, especially at the center. It is vis- 

 cid when moist, the margin thin and striate-tuberculate. The gills 

 are free from the stem, stout, broad, first white, becoming yellow, 

 and in age ochraceous. The gills are all of the same length, not 

 crowded, and they are connected by vein-like elevations over the 

 surface. The stem is stout, solid, even, white, portions of the stem 

 are red, sometimes purple. 



The taste is mild, and the plant is regarded as one of the very 

 good ones for food. 



Russula lepida Fr. Edible. — This elegant Russiila occurs in birch 

 woods or in mixed woods during late summer and autumn. It is 5-8 

 cm. high, the cap 6-8 cm. broad, and the stem 1-2 cm. in thickness. 



The pileus is fleshy, convex, then expanded, obtuse, not shining, 

 deep red, becoming pale in age, often whitish at the center, silky, in 

 age the surface cracking, the margin blunt and not striate. The gills 

 are rounded next the stem, thick, rather crowded, and sometimes 

 forked, white, sometimes red on the edge near the margin of the 

 pileus. The gills are often connected by vein-like elevations over 

 the surface. The stem is equal, white or rose color. The taste is 

 mild. 



Russula virescens (Schaeff.) Fr. Edible.— This plant grows on the 

 ground in woods or in grassy places in groves from July to September. 

 The stem is short, 2-7 cm. long x 1-2 cm. thick, and the cap is 5-10 

 cm. broad. The plant is well known by the green color of the pileus, 

 and by the surface of the pileus being separated into numerous, quite 

 regular, somewhat angular areas or patches, where the green color 

 is more pronounced. 



The pileus is first rounded, then convex and expanded, and when 

 old somewhat depressed in the center. It is quite firm, dry, green- 

 ish, and the surface with numerous angular floccose areas or patches 

 of usually a deeper green. Sometimes the pileus is said to be tinged 

 with yellow. The gills are adnate, nearly free from the stem, and 

 crowded. The stem is white and firm. 



The greenish Russula, Russula vircsccus, like a number of other 

 plants, has long been recommended for food, both in Europe and in 

 this country. There are several species of Russula in which the 

 pileus is green, but this species is readily distinguished from them by 

 the greenish floccose patches on the surface of the pileus. Russula 

 furcata is a common species in similar situations, with forked gills, 

 and the cap very variable in color, sometimes reddish, purple, purple 



