Russula is so named because of its likeness in color to some species of the genus Russula.
The pileus is three to four inches broad, fleshy, convex, then depressed, viscid, even or dotted with granular scales, red or flesh color, the margin somewhat paler, involute and minutely downy in the young plant.
The gills are rounded or slightly decurrent, rather distant, white, often becoming red-spotted with age.
The stem is two to three inches long, solid, firm, whitish rosy-red, nearly equal, scaly at the apex. The spores are elliptical, 105.
This plant is quite variable in many of its peculiar characteristics, yet it usually has enough to readily distinguish it. The cap may be flesh-color and the stem rosy-red, the cap may be red and the stem white or whitish with stains of red. During wet weather the caps of all are viscid; when dry, all may be cracked more or less. The stems may not be scaly at the apex, often rosy when young. They are found in the woods solitary, in groups, or frequently in dense cl.u.s.ters. The specimens in Figure 51 were found in Michigan and photographed by Dr. Fischer.
I found this plant in Poke Hollow. The gills were quite decurrent.
_Tricholoma acerb.u.m. Bull._
THE BITTER TRICHOLOMA.
Acerb.u.m means bitter to the taste.
The pileus is three to four inches broad, convex to expanded, obtuse, smooth, more or less spotted, margin thin, at first involute, rugose, sulcate, viscid, whitish, often tinged rufous, or yellow, quite bitter to the taste.
The gills are notched, crowded, pallid or rufescent, narrow.
The stem is solid, rather short, blunt, yellowish, squamulose above or about the apex. The spores are subglobose, 5-6.
These plants were found growing in a thick bed of moss along with Armillaria nardosmia. They were not perfect plants but I judged them to be T. acerb.u.m from their taste and involute margin. I sent some to Prof.
Atkinson, who confirmed my cla.s.sification. They grow in open woods in October and November.
_Tricholoma cinerascens. Bull._
Cinerascens means becoming the color of ashes.
The pileus is two to three inches broad, fleshy, convex to expanded, even, obtuse, smooth, white, then grayish, margin thin.
The gills are emarginate, crowded, rather undulate, dingy, reddish often yellowish, easily separating from the pileus.
The stem is stuffed, equal, smooth, elastic.
They grow in cl.u.s.ters in mixed wood. They are mild to the taste.
_Tricholoma alb.u.m. Schaeff._
THE WHITE TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 52.--Tricholoma alb.u.m. Entirely white.]
Alb.u.m means white.
The pileus is two to four inches broad, fleshy, entirely white, convex, then depressed, obtuse, smooth, dry, disc frequently tinged with yellow, margin at first involute, at length repand.
The gills are rounded behind, rather crowded, thin, white, broad.
The stem is two to four inches long, solid, firm, narrowed upwards, smooth.
This plant is quite plentiful in our woods, growing usually in groups.
It grows upon the leaf mould and is frequently quite large. It is quite acrid to the taste when raw, but this is overcome in cooking. It is found from August to October.
These plants are quite plentiful on the wooded hillsides about Chillicothe. Those in Figure 52 were found on Ralston"s Run and photographed by Dr. Kellerman.
_Tricholoma imbricatum. Fr._
THE IMBRICATED TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd_
Figure 53.--Tricholoma imbricatum.]
Imbricatum means covered with tiles, _imbreces_, referring to the lacerated condition of the cap. This species is very closely related to T. trans.m.u.tans in size, color and taste. It is, however, easily separated by its dry cap and solid stem. Its cap is reddish-brown or cinnamon-brown, and its surface often presents a somewhat scaly appearance because the epidermis becomes lacerated or torn into small irregular fragments which adhere and seem to overlap like shingles on a roof. The flesh is firm, white, and has a farinaceous taste as well as odor. The gills are white, becoming red or rusty spotted, rather close, and notched. The stem is solid, firm, nearly equal, except slightly swollen at the base, colored much like the cap but usually paler. When old it is sometimes hollow on account of the insects mining it. The spores are white and elliptical, .00025 inch long.
I found this mushroom near Salem, Ohio, Bowling Green, Ohio, and on Ralston"s Run near Chillicothe. Found in mixed woods from September to November.
_Tricholoma terriferum. Pk._
THE EARTH-BEARING TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.
Terriferum, earth-bearing, alluding to the viscid cap"s holding particles of loam and pine needles to it as it breaks through the soil.
This is a meaty mushroom, and when properly cleaned makes an appetizing dish.
The pileus is convex, irregular, wavy on the margin and rolled inward, smooth, viscid, pale yellow, sometimes whitish, generally covered with loam on account of the sticky surface of the cap, flesh white.
The gills are white, thin, close, slightly adnexed.
The stem is short, fleshy, solid, equal, mealy, very slightly bulbous at the base.
Found near Salem, Ohio, on Hon. J. Thwing Brooks" farm September to October.
_Tricholoma fumidellum. Pk._
THE SMOKY TRICHOLOMA. EDIBLE.
Fumidellum--smoky, because of the clay-colored caps clouded with brown.
The pileus is one to two inches broad, convex, then expanded, sub.u.mbonate, bare, moist, dingy-white or clay-color clouded with brown, the disk or umbo generally smoky brown.
The gills are crowded, subventricose, whitish.