REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST 1905 43 



larger spores. It is similar to both in its fragile tender flesh and 

 pleasant flavor. It grows among fallen leaves in woods. It was 

 found at Bolton Landing, Warren co. which yet remains its only 

 known locality. 



Hypomyces lactifluorum (Schw.) Tul. 



RED HYPOMYCES 



PLATE 103, FIG. 1-7 



Subiculum thin, at first whitish, soon orange or cinnabar-red, 

 effused over the surface of the host plant, transforming, hardening 

 and deforming it and changing its color so that it is rarely recog- 

 nizable; perithecia minute, abundant, sunk in the subiculum and 

 appearing like minute red dots on the surface, becoming brown or 

 blackish with age or in drying; asci slender, linear; spores white 

 in the mass, monostichous, oblong fusiform, pointed or cuspidate 

 at each end, uniseptate, .001 5-. 0018 of an inch long, .0003 broad. 



The red hypomyces is a puzzling fungus to the young mycologist. 

 It is one very frequently received at the office with inquiries con- 

 cerning its name and nature. Its bright color makes it an attractive 

 object, but its very irregular and inconstant shape makes it diffi- 

 cult to locate in any known genus of mushrooms. It really is a par- 

 asitic fungus and it and its host plant are so intimately united that 

 they are taken by the inexperienced to be one thing.* The parasite 

 attacks and lives upon some of the fleshy mushrooms, changing 

 their form, color and texture so much as to obliterate or disguise 

 their characters and render them almost unrecognizable. The 

 original specimens described by L. D. Schweinitz are said by him 

 to be parasitic on species of Lactarius, specially L. piperatus. 

 It is now known that the parasite sometimes attacks also the 

 chantarelle, Cantharellus cibarius Fr. as shown by 

 specimens but partly developed and slightly changed. 



The parasite hardens the flesh of the host plant and makes it 

 more dry, firm and crisp, but it is not tough. It is generally free 

 from insect larvae, inviting in appearance and, though not highly 

 flavored, is relishable and perfectly harmless. It needs thorough 

 cooking and proper seasoning to make it most satisfactory. The 

 host plant really furnishes the most of the material eaten. The 

 parasite, the red hypomyces, forms but a thin layer over the sur- 

 face of the host plant. By peeling away all the red part and cooking 

 only the white interior the dish would be composed entirely of the 

 flesh of the host. By utilizing the red part only, that is the hypo- 

 myces, the quantity would be so small as scarcely to be worthy of 

 consideration. 



