94 THE AGARICACEAE OF MICHIGAN 



more abundant in the Northern Peninsula, apparently prefering 

 the colder latitude or altitude. It is said to be most abundant in 

 the mountainous regions in the eastern United States. 



65. Lactarius controversus Fr. 



Syst. Myc, 1821. 



Illustrations: Fries, Sverig. Svanip., PI. 29. 

 Bresadola, Fungh. mang. e. vel., PI. 61. 

 Gillet, Champignons de France, No. 381. 

 Cooke, 111., PI. 1003 (extreme form). 



PILEUS S-20 cm. broad, firm, convex and broadly umbilicate or 

 depressed, at length infundibuliform, viscid when moist, appressed 

 subtomentose or flocculose, loMte at first, at length tinged incarnate 

 and stained with 'brownish flesh colored spots, obscurely zoned to- 

 ward margin which is at first involute but soon spreading and ele- 

 vated or reflexed. FLESH v white or at length slightly incarnate. 

 GILLS attenuate behind, at length ascending-decurrent, abrupt, 

 narrow, crowded, whitish at first then strongly incarnate to pink- 

 incarnate, thin, rather easily separable from pileus. STEM 3-4 cm. 

 long, 1-3 cm. thick, often eccentric, equal or narrowed downward, 

 solid, firm or spougy, subflocculose, glabrescent, even, not spotted, 

 white within and without. SPORES subglobose, echinulate, 5-7 

 inicr., white or slightly incaruate-tinged. MILK white, unchanging, 

 sloicly acrid, often rather scanty. 



Gregarious. On the ground in low, moist, frondose woods. Ann 

 Arbor, Jackson, Detroit, etc. August-September. Frequent in the 

 southeastern part of the state. 



This interesting species I have seen frequently and it appeared 

 to be undescribed. A comparison of figures and descriptions has 

 convinced me that it is an American form of L. controversus. The 

 spots on the cap do not become so deeply colored as described for 

 the European plant, but otherwise there is very little discrepancy. 

 When young the plants are white and are easily mistaken for L. 

 pip&ratus, but soon the gills, etc., take on the characteristic flesh- 

 color. The color of the gills is often bright incarnate while that of 

 the cap, flesh and stem is slightly so only in age. The stem is some- 

 times somewhat proemorsely rooted. The European plant is said 

 to be edible. A form occurs which has a hollow stem but otherwise 

 not very distinct ; this may be L. pubescens Fr. The latter is said 

 to be much smaller. 



