The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 37

The plant is quite compact, inodorous, becoming entirely black with age.

It is easily distinguished from R. adusta by the flesh becoming reddish when bruised, and by the much thicker, and more distant gills. It is very close to R. densifolia but differs from it in that its gills are more distant and because of its mild taste.

I am pleased to present to my readers, in Figure 146, a photograph of a plant which grew in Sweden in the locality where Prof. Fries did his great work in fungal study and research. It is a typical specimen of this species. It was gathered and photographed by Mr. C. G. Lloyd.

It is found from June to October. Not poisonous, but not good.

_Russula foetens. Fr._

THE FETID RUSSULA. NOT EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 147.--Russula foetens.]

Foetens means stinking.

The pileus is four to six inches broad, dirty white or yellowish; flesh thin; at first hemispherical, then expanded, almost plane, often depressed in the center; covered with a pellicle which is adnate; viscid in wet weather; widely striate-tuberculate on the margin, which is at first incurved.

The gills are adnexed, connected by veins, crowded, irregular, many forked, rather broad, whitish, becoming dingy when bruised, exuding watery drops at first.

The stem is stout, stuffed, then hollow, concolor, two to four inches long. The spores are small, echinulate, almost round.

I have found the plants very generally diffused over the state. It is very coa.r.s.e and uninviting. Its smell and taste are bad. Found from July to October. These plants are widely distributed and usually rather abundant.

_Russula alutacea. Fr._

THE TAN-COLORED RUSSULA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 148.--Russula alutacea. Two-thirds natural size.

Caps flesh color. Gills broad and yellowish.]

Alutacea, tanned leather. The pileus is flesh-color, sometimes red; flesh white; bell-shaped, then convex; expanded, with a viscid covering, growing pale; slightly depressed; even; margin inclined to be thin, striate.

The gills are broad, ventricose, free, thick, somewhat distant, equal, yellow, then ochraceous.

The stem is stout, solid, even; white, though parts of the stem are red, sometimes purple; wrinkled lengthwise; spongy. The spores are yellow.

The taste is mild and pleasant when young, but quite acrid when old.

Alutacea will be known mostly by its mild taste, broad, and yellow gills. It is quite common, but does not grow in groups. It is sweet and nutty.

From July to October.

_Russula ochrophylla. Pk._

OCHREY GILLED RUSSULA. EDIBLE.

Ochrophylla is from two Greek words meaning _ochre_ and _leaf_, because of its ochre-colored gills.

The pileus is two to four inches broad, firm, convex, becoming nearly plane or slightly depressed in the center; even, or rarely very slightly striate on the margin when old; purple or dark purplish-red; flesh white, purplish under the adnate cuticle; taste mild.

The gills are entire, a few of them forked at the base, subdistant, adnate at first yellowish, becoming bright, ochraceous-buff when mature and dusted by the spores, the inters.p.a.ces somewhat venose.

The stem is equal or nearly so, solid or spongy within, reddish or rosy tinted, paler than the pileus. The spores are bright, ochraceous-buff, globose, verruculose, .0004 of an inch broad. _Peck._

This is one of the easiest Russulas to determine because of its purple or purplish-red cap, entire gills, at first yellowish, then a bright, ochraceous-buff when mature. The taste is mild and the flavor fairly good.

There is also a plant which has a purplish cap and a white stem, called Russula ochrophylla albipes. Pk. It quite agrees in its edible qualities with the former.

R. ochrophylla is found in the woods, especially under oak trees, in July and August.

_Russula lepida. Fr._

THE NEAT RUSSULA. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 149.--Russula lepida. Two-thirds natural size.

Caps, purplish-red, with more or less brown.]

Lepida, from _lepidus_, neat.

The pileus firm, solid; varying in color from bright red to dull, subdued purplish with a distinct brown; compact; convex, then depressed, dry unpolished; margin even, sometimes cracked and scaly, not striated.

The gills are white, broad, princ.i.p.ally even, occasionally forked, very brittle, rounded, somewhat crowded, connected by veins, sometimes red on the edge, especially near the margin.

The stem is solid, white, usually stained and streaked with pink, compact, even.

The surface is dull, as with a fine dust or plum-like bloom, and thus without polish. Often times the surface will appear almost velvety. The tints of the flesh and the gills will be found uniform. The plant when raw is sweet and nut-like to the taste. This is a beautiful species, the color being averaged under the general hue of dark, subdued red, inclining to maroon. It is simply delicious when properly cooked. Found in woods from July to September.

_Russula cyanoxantha. Fr._

THE BLUE AND YELLOW RUSSULA. EDIBLE.

Cyanoxantha, from two Greek words, blue and yellow, referring to color of the plant.

The pileus is quite variable as to color, ranging from lilac or purplish to greenish; disk yellowish, margin bluish or livid-purple; convex, then plane, depressed in center; margin faintly striate, sometimes wrinkled.

The gills are rounded behind, connected by veins, forked, white, slightly crowded.

The stem is solid, spongy, stuffed, hollow when old, equal, smooth and white.

The color of the cap is quite variable but the peculiar combination of color will a.s.sist the student in distinguis.h.i.+ng it. It is a beautiful plant and one of the best of the Russulas to eat. The mushroom-eater counts himself lucky indeed when he can find a basketful of this species after "the joiner squirrel" has satisfied his love of this special good thing. It is quite common in woods from August to October.

_Russula vesca. Fr._