32 
NOTES AND QUERIES ON RUSSULAE. 
case in point. Is Russula atropurpurea only a mild form of the 
acrid Russula rubra , with which it appears to accord in everything 
bnt taste, or are the two to be maintained as distinct upon the faith 
of one sole and single character ? Let each be persuaded in his 
own mind, all we desire to contend for is this, that for the sake of 
the inexperienced mycologist, both of the present and future, such 
anomalies should not be ignored, but placed upon record, either as 
forms or varieties. As a general rule the distinctions “ mild ” 
and “ acrid ” hold fairly well both in Lactarius and Russula, and, 
we think, are as reasonably permanent as any other character, for 
absolute permanency is a dream of the past ; “ slowly acrid,” 
“ mild then acrid,” will always suffer some interpretation akin to 
non-recognition, a sort of neutral character, of no intrinsic value. 
Faint odours and uncertain tastes are valueless, except to mislead, 
and this implies condemnation of the method adopted by some 
persons in making it to form part of their characteristic diagnosis 
of new species that its “ odour reminds one of the rose,” or 
“ faintly aromatic,” or “ calling to mind the perfume of melilot.” 
These are all very well to put in a foot note, but they are too 
volatile and uncertain for a diagnosis, and certainly are out of 
place in such a genus as Russula , where, with the single exception 
of Russula foetens , decided odours, except the fishy odour associated 
with decay, are generally conspicuous by their absence. 
Unfortunately, throughout Russula, spore character is of the most 
limited value in specific identification. There is such a close simi- 
larity that the minute distinction of one or two micromillemetres 
is practically useless. The common type of a rough sub-globose 
spore of about 10 p, prevails, seldom, perhaps, completely globose, 
but seldom exceeding more than 1 to 2 p in one direction over 
the other. The occasional occurrence of a species with entirely 
smooth spores, if confirmed at all ages, would be exceptional, and 
add to the value of the character. 
Colour of gills and spores require more careful consideration than 
some of us have given to them. The decided gills of Russula lutea , 
Russula armeniaca , and Russula drimeia , with some others, could 
not be overlooked, but there are species, several of them, including 
some forms of Russula integra , in which living and vigorous plants 
show no tinge of yellow when gathered, but after resting all night 
and drying, the gills and the deposited spores will exhibit too decided 
an ochraceous tint to be disregarded. It scarcely need be said 
that we hold no doubt on this point, that the colour of the spores, 
if a decided colour and not a faint tinge, can never be disregarded. 
The same species, however similar in other respects, cannot be 
accepted with white and with ochraceous spores ; perhaps each 
section of the genus, as recognized by Fries, would be much better, 
for working purposes, if divided, as the Fragiles section is divided, 
into sub-sections Leucospori and Xanthospori. In passing, it may 
be urged that it does not follow that because the gills have, or 
seem to have, a tinge of colour, the spores are necessarily coloured. 
