10 Journal of the Mitchell Society \_June 



4. Lactarius subvellereus Pk. 



Plants considered typical of this species except for somewhat more 

 distant gills were collected in the mountains of this State by Miss 

 Biirlingham. She describes the species as follows (Mem. Torr. Bot. 

 Club 14:23. 1908):* 



"Pileus fleshy, thin, convex, soon umbilicate, at length nearly in- 

 fundibuliform, white, becoming tinged or spotted with yellowish, and 

 when dried cinnamon colored ( 323. 1. 1-4), azonate, dry, covered with 

 velvet-like tomentum, 7.5-15 cm. broad, margin at first and for some 

 time very involute, at length spreading; gills white to pale cream- 

 colored, staining amber-white (12.t.4) where the latex dries, often 

 forking, adnate or slightly decurrent, narrow; stem white, tapering 

 slightly toward the base, dry, velvety-pubescent, firm, 1.8-2.8 cm. 

 long, 1.2-2.5 cm. thick; flesh amber-white, odor faint; spores subglo- 

 bose, smooth, 6-6.5 x 6.5-7.5/i, latex pale cream-colored or whitish, 

 very acrid, usually abundant. 



"Hab. : On dry ground, mixed woods. July. 



"Distinguishing Field-Marks : This species differs from L. 

 vellerea, to which it is closely related, in the narrow close gills, and 

 the finer velvety tomentum or pubescence covering the pileus and the 

 stem. The latex is cream-colored or dries yellowish on the gills. The 

 change in color of the pileus and stem during drying is a marked 

 characteristic." 



Mountains. Burlingham. 



4a. Lactarius subvellereus Pk. Form A. 



Plates 5 and 40. 



Cap of moderate or large size, up to 15.5 cm. wide, strongly de- 

 pressed in center, the margin plane or drooping, more graceful than 

 L. vellereus; color white, sometimes with faint lilac or cream tints, 

 very closely and finely tomentose all over. Flesh thin, only about 



*l consider it very doubtful if L. subvellereus is a good species. The few characters sup- 

 posed to separate it from L. vellereus are quite variable and confusing. Plants v^ith close 

 gills may have coarse tomentum and those with distant gills may have plush-like tomentum. 

 The only two distinctions brought out by Peck are the closer gills and yellowish change in milk. 

 The latter is often shown by typical L. vellereus. 



