190 MUSHROOMS, EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



Russula vircsccns. Fr. 

 The Green Russula. Edible. 



Virescens, being - green. The Pileus is grayish-green ; at first globose, then 

 expanded, convex, at last depressed at the center ; firm, adorned with flaky greenish 

 or yellow patches, produced by the cracking of the skin ; two to four inches broad, 

 margin striate, often white. 



The gills are white, moderately close, free Or nearly so, narrow as they ap- 

 proach the stem, some being forked, others not; very brittle, breaking to pieces 

 at the slightest touch. 



The stem is shorter than the diameter of the cap, smooth, white, and solid 

 or spongy. The spores are white, rough, and nearly globose. 



This plant is especially sweet and nutty to the taste when young and unwilted. 

 All Russulas should be eaten when fresh. I have found the plant over the state 

 quite generally. It is a prime favorite with the squirrels. You will often find them 

 half eaten by these little nibblers. Found in open woods from July to September. 

 It is one of the best mushrooms to eat and one that is very easily identified. It 

 is quite common about Chillicothe, Ohio. Its mouldy color is not as prepossessing 

 as the brighter hues of many far less delicious fungi, but it stands the test of use. 



Russula variata. Ban. 

 Variable Russula. Edible. 



Pileus is firm, convex becoming centrally depressed or somewhat funnelform, 

 viscid, even on the thin margin, reddish-purple, often variegated with green, pea- 

 green sometimes varied with purple, flesh white, taste acrid or tardily acrid. 



The gills are thin, narrow, close, often forked, tapering toward each end, 

 adnate or slightly decurrent, white. 



The stem is equal or nearly so, solid, sometimes cavernous, white. The spores 

 are white, subglobose, .0003 to .0004 of an inch long, .0003 broad. Peck, Rep. 

 State Bot., 1905. 



This plant grows in open beech woods, rather damp, and appears in July 

 and August. The 'caps are often dark purple, often tinged with red, and some- 

 times the caps contains shades of green. I found the plants plentifully in 

 Woodland Park, near Newtonville, Ohio, in July, 1907. We ate them on several 

 occasions and found them very good. The greenish margin and purplish center 

 will mark the plant. 



