Many were eaten and enjoyed. Only fresh plants are acceptable, and they should be cooked as soon as gathered. Even in wilting they become unpleasant.
*** Gills and spores ochraceous.
R. aluta´cea Fr.—aluta, tanned leather. Pileus 2–4 in. broad, commonly bright blood-color or red, even black-purple, but becoming pale, especially at the disk, fleshy, bell-shaped then convex, flattened and somewhat umbilicate, even, with a remarkably sticky pellicle, margin thin, at length striate, tubercular. Flesh snow-white. Stem 2 in. long, solid, stout, equal, even, white, most frequently variegated-reddish, even purple. Gills at first free, thick, very broad, connected by veins, all equal, somewhat distant, at first pallid light yellow, then bright ochraceous, not pulverulent.
It is distinguished from R. integra by its gills not being pulverulent. Fries.
Spores yellow 7–9µ Massee; 11–14×8–10µ Sacc., Syll.
July to frost. McIlvaine.
R. alutacea is easily recognized among Russulæ by its mild taste and broad yellow gills. In young specimens one sometimes has to look at the gills at an angle to detect the yellow. It is quite common but a solitary grower. It is everywhere eaten as a favorite. Only fresh plants yield a good flavor. When the stem is soft, it should be thrown away.
R. puella´ris Fr. (Plate [XLIV], fig. 7, p. 184.) Mild. Pileus 1–1½ in. across, flesh almost membranaceous except the disk; conico-convex then expanded, at first rather gibbous, then slightly depressed, scarcely viscid, color peculiar, purplish-livid then yellowish, disk always darker and brownish; tuberculosely striate, often to the middle. Gills adnate but very much narrowed behind, thin, crowded, white then pale-yellow, not shining nor powdered with the spores. Stem 1–1½ in. long, 2–4 lines thick, equal, soft, fragile, wrinkled under a lens, white or yellowish; stuffed, soon hollow; taste mild.
Spores subglobose, pale-yellow, echinulate, 10×8–9µ Massee.
In woods.