Putuch פתוך introduces a whole new variable to any of the four chief nega’im being a sign of tumah. As the name implies “mixed” or “blended”, meaning any one of the big four can indicate tumah when appearing with a reddish hue.

That’s right, the nega needn’t be bright white but even “creamed” with red/pink will suffice as a tumah indicator. (Sifra tazria min. ch. 147)

Getting technical

This brings in the known argument of just how many different shades of tzoraath there are out there;

Rabbi Yishmael; 12
Rabbi Chianina Segan hakohanim; 16
Rabbi dosa Ben hurkinus; 32
Akavya Ben mhallelel; 72

Shades of potuch

רמל תזריע ס״ק נו

Clothing nega’im

As to פתוך coloring, generally it isn’t considered tammei when appearing on wool, linen and leather clothing or vessels.  But, this may not mean to exclude faint shades of green and red as the term פתוך is indicative of a ‘liquid blend’, for example blood in milk or ‘milky green’.

Meaning to say that the term ‘faint green’ could merely mean ‘spread-out’ dots of green that appear fainter to the kohen viewing the nega from a distance.

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