Kepoet of the State Botanist. 12? 



Thin woods and moist places. West Albany and Karner. Septem- 

 ber. 



A very variable species. The prevailing color of the pileus is gray or 

 lead-gray, but it is often lilac-brown. Its surface has a moist and 

 shining appearance, but it is sometimes seen under a lens to be rough- 

 ened by minute pits or depressions, in which case it presents silvery or 

 sparkling reflections as if micaceously atomate. It often grows with 

 L. glyciosmus from which it is distinguished by its glabrous pileus and 

 lack of odor. It also approaches L. plumb eus, but differs from it in its 

 smaller size, paler color, moist appearance and larger spores. Wounds 

 of the lamellae assume a hue similar to that seen under similar cir- 

 cumstances in L. trivialis. 



Lactarius parvus, Peck. 

 Small Lactarius. 



Pileus nearly plane or depressed, even, glabrous, zoneless, reddish- 

 brown or lilac-brown, becoming paler ivith age, lamellae narrow, crowded, 

 white or yellowish, becoming dingy-greenish where wounded ; stem 

 equal or slightly tapering upward, often curved, stuffed, whitish ; spores 

 globose, white, .0003 to .0004 in.; milk white, taste acrid. 



Pileus 6 to 12 lines broad, stem 6 to 12 lines long, 1 to 2 thick. 



Old stumps and prostrate trunks in woods. Sandlake, Osceola and 

 Greig. August and September. 



This small species is closely allied to L. varius, of which it might be 

 considered a mere variety. It differs in being smaller, in having the 

 pileus constantly even, zoneless, destitute of an umbo or central pa- 

 pilla and in growing paler with age. I have only found it growing on 

 decaying wood. When growing on the sides of stumps and prostrate 

 trunks, the stem is often curved and sometimes eccentric. 



Lactarius plumbeus, Fr. 



Lead-colored Lactarius. 

 Agaricus plumbeus, Bull. * 



'* Pileus compact, convex, then infundibuliform, dry, unpolished fu- 

 liginous or brownish-black ; lamellae crowded, white or yellowish ; stem 

 solid, equal, thick ; milk white, acrid, unchangeable" spores .00025 to 

 .0003 in. 



Pileus 2 to 5 in. broad, stem 1.5 to 3 in. long, 3 to 6 lines thick. 



The specimens which I have referred to this species were found in the 

 Catskill mountains several years ago, growing in hemlock woods, under 

 spruce and balsam trees. I have not met with the species since. The 

 pileus in the larger specimens had a minutely tomentose appearance, 

 but in the dried specimens this has disappeared. They also varied in 

 color from blackish-brown to pinkish-brown and grayish-brown, but 

 they can scarcely be more than a mere form or variety of the species 

 the description of which, as given by Fries, I have quoted. In the 

 Handbook the pileus is described as dark fuliginous gray or brown, and 

 Gillet describes it as black-brown, dark fuliginous or lead-color, and adds 

 that the plant is poisonous and the milk very acrid and burning. Cor 

 dier says that the flesh is white and the taste bitter and disagreeable. 



