74 BRITISH FUNGI 



the two genera have many features in common, inchiding the 

 general rigidity of the cap and stem, the presence of numerous 

 laticiferous hyphiE, or hypliae that contain the milk, and more 

 especially in producing globose or subglobose, rough spores. In 

 the great majority of other genera included in the Leucosporeae 

 the spores are elliptical and smooth. The cap in most species 

 soon becomes expanded, the centre often more or less depressed, 

 less frequently umbonate, the edge usually remains more or less 

 inturned, and a striated edge is quite rare in the genus. The cap 

 is never ornamented with scales ha^'ing their points free and 

 spreading, but is in many species marked with concentric zones 

 deeper in colour than the fundamental tint. The gills are most 

 frequently more or less decurrent, but in some species they are 

 adnate or adnexed. They are fairly rigid, unequal in length, or 

 with shorter ones intermixed, often forked, edge sharp. Stem 

 stout, rigid, central or rareh^ excentric, or almost springing from 

 the edge. The latex is persistently milk-white in the majority of 

 species ; in others it is white at first, changing to some other 

 colour M'hen exposed to the air ; while in others, again, the latex 

 is coloured yellow or red before escaping from the plant. In some 

 species the latex is quite tasteless, or mild as it is termed. In 

 others it is intensely acrid and hot, even when tasted in the smallest 

 quantity. These points respecting the colour and taste of the 

 latex must be carefully noted, as they are of great importance in 

 the determination of species. The genus does not include any 

 brilliantly coloured species, the prevailing colour being some shade 

 of brick-red or ^-ellowish brown. Some few species are edible ; 

 one species, L. ddiciosus, has been esteemed as an article of food 

 for ages gone by, and was described b^- the ancients as " food for 

 the gods." 



Hygyophorus 

 This genus undoubtedly includes amongst its many species 

 some of the most beautiful fungi included in the British Fungus- 

 Flora. For brilliant tints and beauty of form it is unequalled, and 

 as a personal opinion I consider that HygropJwrus calyptrains de- 

 cidedly heads the list. I will not attempt the impossible, so leave 

 the decision to those in a position to contrast its beauty with that 

 of others generally. Although it is practically impossible to mis- 

 take a species of HygropJiorus for anything else after a little ex- 

 perience in the field, it is nevertheless difficult to express in writing 

 any technical features that at once stamp the genus. /\n essential 

 point that cannot be grasped by the beginner is that at length 

 the hymenium becomes soft and readil}' separates from the trama, 

 wliich\ being literally interpreted means that the superficial film 

 of the} gill, composed of the basidia, etc., can be readily rubbed 

 away from the central portion of the gill, called the trama. A 



