A CATALOGUE OF ESCULENT BRITISH FUNGI. 105 



Sectio7i. Flesh thin, reddish. Milk white. Stem stufied, then 

 hollow. Gills pink, then reddish, unequal, crowded, straight, 

 narrow, fragile, not furcate, adnate. Odour slight, agreeable. 

 Taste sweet, eventually sub-acrid. Spores white. 



Obs. Too like the poisonous L. rufus to be safely gathered, and also like 

 L. camphoratus, a species with a bad reputation, smelling of camphor. The 

 Sweet-milk seems to be a tolerably good esculent, however. — W. D. H, 



(106.) LACTARIUS THEIOGALUS ; The Primrose-milk. 



Habitat. In woods. Solitary. 



Season. September to Ifovember. Uncommon. 



Pileus. One to three inches across, tawny-red, somewhat zoned, 

 glabrous, dry ; convex, then depressed, irregular. Margin thin, 

 viscid at first, shining. 



Stevi. One to two inches high, tint of pileus, smooth, even, 

 thickish, naked. 



Section. Flesb yellowish, thick centrally. Milk white, changing 

 to primrose-yellow. Stem stuffed. Gills pink, then reddish, 

 crowded, thin, narrow, fragile, unequal, straight, adnate. Odour 

 slight. Taste bitter. Spores yellowish. 



Obs. Paulet and Leveille have demonstrated by experiment that this species 

 is harmless, and it seems to be eaten abroad. But it is ill-flavoured and not 

 commendable. — W. D. H. 



(107.) LACTARIUS TORMINOSUS ; The Fringed Lactar. 



Habitat. In woods, shrubberies, and wastes. Scattered. 



Season. June to October. Not uncommon. 



Pileus. Two to five inches across, strawberry red, zoned, smooth, 

 at first viscid; convex, then unibilicate, even. Margin involute, 

 thickly villose. 



Stem. Two to three inches high, tint of pileus, pale, thickish, 

 smooth, sleek, equal, tomentose, naked. 



Section. Flesh thickish, white, firm, feeling soapy. Milk white. 

 Stem stuffed, soon hollow. Gills yellowish-pink, straight, unequal, 

 thin, narrow, sub-decurrent. Odour feeble. Taste very acrid. 

 Spores white. 



Obs. Letellier and others pronounce it esculent, and it seems to be eaten in 

 France and Russia. The ill-fame of the malignant L. rufus appears to have 

 been unjustly attached to it. But it cannot be commended. — W. D. H. 



