308 
Mycologia 
2. Russula (Pers.) Fries, Epicr. Myc. 349. 1838 
I. Russula delica Fries, Epicr. Myc. 350. 1838 
Hypophyllum album, Paulet & Lev. Ic. Champ. 33. 1855. 
Russula deliciosa Schrot. in Cohn, Krypt. FI. Schles. 549. 1889. 
Russula hrevipes Peck, Ann. Rep. N. Y. State Mus. 54; 178. 
1901. 
Seattle, Washington, Murrill 372, j Corvallis, Oregon, Mur- 
rill PP4; Preston’s Ravine, near Palo Alto, California, Murrill & 
Abrams 1204; La Honda, California, Murrill & Abrams I2’j(); 
Santa Barbara, California, Oleson iii. 
There has been more or less uncertainty regarding the identity 
of Russula delica Fries, arising from the fact that in his earlier 
descriptions he refers to the pileus as “ nitidus,” shining; but in 
a later work^ he does not mention this characteristic. The gills 
do not always impress one as distant, but it is noticeable that in 
the dried specimens the gills are really set far apart. Fries also 
did not mention the occurrence of a greenish tinge on the gills, 
but Kauffman^ notes that the specimens which he has seen grow- 
ing around Stockholm, and which Romell refers to Russula 
delica, often have this characteristic. The greenish tint on the 
edges of the gills in the American plants is not generally noticeable 
until the mushroom is fully mature, and gills which show no sign 
of the color when gathered often become greenish-gray during 
the process of drying; the color, however, vanishes before the 
plant is dry. Fries says that Russula delica is similar to Lactaria 
vellerea and often confused with it, which would seem to indicate 
that Russula delica sometimes might give the impression of being 
tomentose. Our specimens do occasionally appear obscurely 
fibrillose in places as though the surface fibers had pulled apart 
from each other. Lactarius exsuccus Smith probably should be 
referred to Russula delica. 
The Seattle number, 572, is noted as having greenish gills. 
2. Russula nigricans (Bull.) Fries, Syst. Myc. 1 : 60. 1821 
Agaricus nigricans. Bull. Herb. Fr. pi. 212. 1784. 
Russula nigrescens Krombh. pt. 9. 27. 1831. 
1 Monogr. Hymen. Suec. 2: 185. 1863. 
2 Rep. Mich. Acad. Sci. ii: 65. 1909. 
