Lignyotus is from lignum, wood. The pileus is one to four inches in diameter, fleshy, convex, then expanded, sometimes slightly umbonate, often in age slightly depressed, smooth or often wrinkled, pruinosely velvety, sooty umber, the margin in the old plants wavy and distinctly plaited; the flesh white and mild to the taste.
The gills are attached to the stem; unequal; snow-white or yellowish-white, slowly changing to a pinkish-red or salmon color when bruised; distant in old plants.
The stem is one to three inches long, equal, abruptly constricted at the apex, smooth, stuffed, of the same color as the pileus. Milk white, taste mild or tardily acrid. The spores are globose, yellowish, 9–11.3µ.
This is called the Sooty Lactarius and is very easily identified. It will be frequently found associated with the Smoky Lactarius which it greatly resembles. It seems to delight in wet swampy woods. It is said to be one of the best of the Lactarii. The specimens in Figure 136 were collected at Sandusky, Ohio, and photographed by Dr. Kellerman.
Lactarius cinereus. Pk.
Figure 137.—Lactarius cinereus.
Cinereus is from cineres, ashes; so called from the color of the plant.
The pileus is one to two and a half inches broad, zoneless, somewhat viscid, floccose-scaly, depressed in the center, margin thin, even, flesh thin and white, mild to the taste, ashy-gray.