CLASSIFICATION 127 



Lactipedes 



1. Milk White 



M. galopoda. — Cap i-| in. high, bell-shaped, more or less um- 

 bonate, rather strongly striate, blackish, then greyish, sometimes 

 almost white with a dark top ; gills white ; stem 2-3 in. long, 

 greyish, thickened and downy below, where it liberates a copious 

 supply of white milk when cut or broken. 



Among moss on fallen wood, trunks, etc. 



Readily distinguished by the copious supply of pure white milk 

 when the base of the stem is broken. Colour variable. The darker 

 coloured varieties somewhat resemble M. lencogala, but differ in 

 having white gills. 



M. lencogala (PI. XI, fig. 8). — About the size of M. galopoda. 

 Cap deeply grooved, purplish brown, umbo blackish ; gills grey ; 

 stem 2-3 in. long, blackish, giving out a quantity of white milk 

 when broken near the base. 



Differs from M. galopoda in having grey gills. Also resembling 

 in general appearance M. pidlata and M. atrocyanea, both of which 

 differ in the absence of milk. 



On stumps. Often occurring in dense clusters. 



2. Milk Red 



M. Jmmatopoda (PI. XI, fig. i). — Cap bell-shaped, striate, i-i| in. 

 high, thin, edge slightly toothed, reddish yellow, top darker red ; 

 gills whitish ; stem about 2 in. long, reddish, liberating dark blood- 

 red milk or juice when crushed. 



Growing in tufts. The notched edge of the cap and the entirely 

 white gills mark this fungus amongst those containing red milk. 



On trunks and stumps of alder, etc. 



M. sanguinolenta. — Cap bell-shaped, very thin, striate, reddish, 

 up to 1- in. across ; gills tinged red, margin dark red ; stem up to 

 2 in. long, very slender, liberating reddish watery juice at the base 

 when broken. 



This little fungus shows the hopelessness of attempting to bound 

 groups by a single character. It agrees with the Lactipedes in 

 containing milk in the stem, but it also agrees with the section 

 Calodontes in having dark-edged gills. 



Distinguished by the even edge of the cap and the dark-edged gills. 



On dead leaves, twigs, moss, etc. 



M. criicnta. — Somewhat similar in size and general appearance 

 to M. sanguinolenta ; gills entirely white ; stem 2-3 in. long, slender, 

 containing dark red juice, more especially at the base. 



Distinguished from M. sanguinolenta by the absence of a dark 

 edge to the gills, and from M. hcematopa by its smaller size, and by 

 the even edge of the cap. 



In pine woods, on fir cones, needles, etc. 



