40 MINNESOTA MUSHROOMS 



Lactarius hysginus Reddish Lactarius 



Cap medium. 5-10 cm. wide, reddish, hrownish-red or rarely paler, smooth, 

 sticky, scarcely zoned, depressed and more or less funnel-form ; stem 3-8 cm. 

 by 1-2 cm., reddish or paler, sometimes spotted, smooth, hollow; gills decurrent. 

 whitish, then j-ellowish, crowded; spores globoid. 8-10/a; milk white, biting. 

 The name refers to the reddish color. 



On the ground in woods, July to October; edible. 



Lactarius piperatus Pepper Cap 



Cap large, 10-20 cm. wide, Avhite, smooth, dry. zoneless. depressed to funnel- 

 form; stem short and stout, 3-8 cm. by 2-4 cm., whitish, smooth, solid; gills 

 decurrent, whitish with occasional yellow spots, narrow and crowded, forking in 

 pairs; spores subglobose, spiny, 7-9/u,; milk white, very pungent. The name 

 refers to the peppery milk. 



Common in woodland and grassland, July to frost ; edible. 



Lactarius volemus Orange Lactarius 



Cap mediimi. 4-12 cm. wide, tawny to orange, smooth, dry, sometimes chinky, 

 plane or depressed; stem stout. 3-10 cm. by 2 cm., colored like the cap or paler, 

 smooth, solid ; gills decurrent, Avhite or yellowish, becoming dark or brownish 

 when wounded, crowded; spores globose, spiny. 8-10/t; milk white, acrid. 

 The name refers to the shape of the cap. 



Common in woods, from midsummer to frost ; delicious. 



IIYGROPHOKU.S 



This genus has no clearly marked characteristics to the beginner. It is based 

 upon the waxy surface of the gills at maturity, but this feature is not readily seen 

 until the plant is mature, and it varies considerably in different species. The fact 

 that the gills broaden from the edge backward into the flesh of the cap, and that 

 they are usually distant aids in the recognition of this genus. The watery or trans- 

 lucent appearance of the gills also aids in identification. The cap is often sticky, 

 and beautifully colored. All of the species tested are edible. The name refers to 

 the watery texture. 



Key to the Species 



1. Gills decurrent or with a decurrent tooth 

 a. Cap sticky when moist 



(1) Whole plant ivory white //. churneus 



(2) Plant reddening or bright red 



(a) Cap white, then red ; stem and gills white with 



red spots H . ernhescens 



