LEUCOSPORyE 
i55 
This genus is closely allied to Lactarius. Laticiferous 
cells are present in the flesh and gills, but the milk is very 
dense, and does not make itself evident when the plant is 
bruised or broken. As in Lactarius, the flesh, through the 
peculiarities of the milk, may be either very acrid or mild. 
This feature is used by some systematists as a basis for the 
grouping of species, and it has been followed in the sub¬ 
joined descriptions of some well-known species. In the 
“ mild ” section, the milk in some species becomes slowly 
acrid if kept in the mouth for some time. Great discretion 
should be used in experimental tasting : a very small piece 
is quite sufficient for the diagnosis. Many species are so 
intensely acrid that serious inconvenience would result if a 
large piece were put into the mouth. It is scarcely neces¬ 
sary to add that it should not be swallowed. 
Section I.—Taste Mild 
1. Gills ochreous. 
2. Gills pale or bright yellow ; never tinged ochreous. 
3. Gills white or creamy-white, sometimes becoming blackish when 
old ; never yellow nor ochreous. 
(a) Pileus white or cream colour at first, becoming blackish 
with age. 
( b ) Pileus clear yellow. 
(c) Pileus green or olive. 
(d) Pileus various shades of red and purple, or brownish- 
orange, sometimes with a greenish tingue. 
Section II.—Taste Acrid 
1. Gills yellow or ochreous. 
(a) Pileus yellow or ochreous. 
( b ) Pileus red or purplish. 
2. Gills white or creamy-white; never distinctly tinged with yellow 
or ochreous. 
(a) Pileus ochreous or umber. 
( b ) Pileus red or purplish. 
