Supplement 



(Plate CXCIX.) 



soft and fragile, and its taste is slowly and much less sharply acrid than 

 in the emetic russula. Its gills are closely placed, attached to the stem 

 and persistently white. The stem is brittle, soft and spongy within, 

 smooth and white. The cap is 24 inches broad, the stem 23 inches 

 long, 4-8 lines thick. 



It grows in woods among mosses and fallen leaves or on the bare 

 ground, and appears in August and September. It is an inhabitant of 

 the Adirondack forests. Its slightly acrid flavor is destroyed in cook- 

 ing, and k affords a harmless, tender and agreeable food. Peck. 



llussula variata Banning, in Pk. Rep., 1905 : 41. PileilS firm, con- 

 vex becoming centrally depressed or somewhat funnel form, viscid even 

 on the thin margin, reddish purple or brownish purple often variegated 

 with green, pea-green sometimes 

 varied with purple. Flesh white, 

 taste acrid or tardily acrid. Lam 

 ellae thin, narrow, close, often 

 forked, tapering toward each end, 

 adnate or slightly decurrent, white. 

 Stem equal or nearly so, solid, 

 sometimes cavernous, white. 

 Spores white, subglobose, .0003 

 .0004 of an inch long, .0003 

 broad. 



Cap 2-4 inches broad ; stem 

 i . 53 inches long, 58 lines thick. 



In woods. July and August. 



The variable russula is appro- 

 priately named, for its caps are 

 very variable in color. They are 

 dark purple or reddish purple 

 variously intermingled or variegated with green, or wholly pale green. 

 The viscid pellicle is closely attached to the cap in the center, but it is 

 separable on the margin. In drying it sometimes forms obscure spots. 

 Notwithstanding the variations in the color of the caps, the species is 

 easily recognized, for the gills are very constant in their characters. 

 Their narrowness, closeness and numerous bifurcations are peculiar and 

 very constant features. They are sometimes slightly decurrent, especi- 



721 



1/2 nat 



