ULA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: 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 interspaces 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.

[Illustration: 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; compac