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RUSSULA REDIVIVA. 
Russula is in the opinion of all mycologists one of the most 
puzzling, for the discrimination of species, in the whole range of 
the Agaricini. The short descriptions given in Manuals and 
Epicrises are barely sufficient in the most facile of genera and sub- 
genera, but here something more seems to be necessary, and we 
have long desired to collect together the various independent 
descriptions, and all the illustrative notes which could be found, 
which would aid in the elucidation of a difficult subject. The best 
way to achieve such an object is by no means clear, nevertheless, 
some experimental course might be adopted, and the publication 
of one or two examples would perhaps serve to suggest how some- 
thing more complete could be done. With this view we have 
selected the following species as a commence aient, and leave them 
to be their own comment. 
Russula (Rigidae) lactea. Pers. Syn. 439. Fries Fpic. 355. Rym. 
Fur. 443. Fr. Mon. p. 190. Quelet Jura 182. P. Sf Br., Ann. N. H. 
1133. Stevenson B. F. n., 118. CooJce RdbJc . II., No. 1199. Coolce 
Illus. t. 1070. Q-illet Champ. 234. Sacc. Syll. 1809. Agaricus 
lacteus, Krombh. t. 61,/. 1-2. Paulet Champ, t. 2. 
Mild, milk white ; pileus fleshy, compact, unpolished, then rivu- 
lose ; margin straight, thin, obtuse, even ; stem solid, compact, 
obtuse ; gills jree , thick , distant, rigid, rather forked. 
On the ground under beech. Rare. 
Stem spongy in the centre, although very hard, as much as 1^ 
in. thick. Pileus at first white, campanulate, dry, then tan-coloured, 
white, rimulose, convex then depressed, and often excentric. Gills 
at length adnate, rather crowded, very broad, furcate at the base 
and apex. Edible. — Hym. Eur. 443. 
Persoon’s original description was, as usual, extremely short : — 
“ Pileus rather depressed, white ; margin even ; gills watery, 
pallid.” In beech woods. “ Pileus 3 in. broad ; gills rather 
thick, often connected with veins ; stem longer than in the former.” 
(Ag. niveus ). 
When recording this for the first time as a British species 
Berkeley wrote : “ The thick distant gills and milk-white pileus 
characterize this fine species, which is probably widely diffused.” 
Stem solid, compact, at length spongy-soft within, l|-2 in. 
long, 1^ in. thick, equal, even, always white. Pileus compact , and 
everywhere fleshy, campanulate, then convex, often excentric, 2 in. 
diam., without pellicle, always dry, at first white, even, then tan- 
coloured white, rimulose when dry, spreading, even, obtuse ; flesh 
compact, white ; gills free, very broad, thick, distant, rigid, furcate, 
white. Allied to B. rubra. The figures of Krombholz correspond 
to specimens collected, which were smaller, less compact; pileus 
convex, then expanded, at length rather depressed ; gills simple. 
This must not be confounded with decoloured forms of other species, 
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