Guide to the Mushrooms 95 



RUSSULA fragiliS (Fr.) fragile. 



Cap. — 1 to 2 inches broad^ convex^ with a slight 

 knob, (umbonate), at the center, then plane and 

 later depressed ; skin thin, slightly glutinous in wet 

 weather, bright red; margin very thin, slightly lin- 

 ed and w^art3^ 



Flesh. — Very fragile, thin, flesh color, changing 

 to red spots. 



Spots. — Slightly attached to the stem, very thin, 

 crowded, rather broad, veined, white. 



Spores.- — White. 



Stem. — 1 to 2 inches long, spongy, then hollow, 

 often slightly lined, white. 



Ring. — None. 



lolva. — None. 



Or/or.— Mild. 



Taste. — Acrid. 



Habitat. — In open woods, growing singly, com- 

 mon from July to October. Frequent in New Eng- 

 land. 



Edible. 



RUSSULA virescens. (Fr.) from viresco, to 

 be green. 



Cap — 2 to 4- inches broad, globular, then expand- 

 ed, later depressed in the center, always dry, the 

 greenish skin breaking up into patches on the sur- 

 face; margin straight, thick, even. 



Flesh — Thick, brittle, white. 



Gills — Free, somewhat crowded, sometimes fork- 

 ed, white. 



