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LACTARIUS
On the ground usually in low wet places, often among moss. July-Sept.
The species most likely to be confused with this is L. maculatus Peck
which is usually larger, and has a zonate pileus and spotted stipe.
LACTARIUS VELLEREUS (Fr.) Fr. Suspected
Figure 85, page 47
PILEUS 2-5 in. broad, convex, umbihcate, becoming expanded and deeply
depressed to subinfundibuhform, white or whitish, tinged yellowish in places,
dry, velvety to the touch, minutely tomentose under a lens, not zoned, margin
at first inrolled, becoming elevated, flesh white, firm, thick, latex white,
unchanging or becoming creamy yellowish, finally staining the lamellae and
flesh brownish, very acrid, lamellae adnate to shghtly decurrent, subdistant
to distant, fairly broad, some forked, whitish becoming cream colored to
yellowish, staining brownish when bruised, stipe Yi-l in. long, Yi-^Va in.
thick, equal or tapering downward, somewhat pruinose-velvety, white or
whitish, solid, spores elHpsoid, white, 7.5-9.5 X 5-6.5 m, ornamented with
very fine, low, separate warts, nearly smooth.
On the ground in mixed woods, usually in groups and sometimes abun-
dant. July-Sept.
It is most hkely to be confused with mature specimens of L. deceptivus in
which the cottony roll on the margin has more or less disappeared. It can be
distinguished from L. deceptivus with certainty by the spores, which in the
latter are larger and have more prominent markings on the walls.
A similar large white species, L. piperatus (L. ex Fr.) S. F. Gray, has very
narrow, densely crowded, forked lamellae, and the pileus is not tomentose.
It is very acrid. This species is reported as common in some parts of the
United States but there are no Canadian specimens in the herbarium at
Ottawa. L. pergamenus (Sw.) Fr. which is regarded by some as simply a
variety of L. piperatus has very narrow, close lamellae.
L. subvellereus Peck is a less common species with a more southern dis-
tribution. The lamellae are closer than in L. vellereus and remain narrow.
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