Lactarius subdulcis

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Lactarius subdulcis
Lact.sub.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Russulales
Family: Russulaceae
Genus: Lactarius
Species:
L. subdulcis
Binomial name
Lactarius subdulcis
(Pers. ex Fr.) Gray (1821) [1]
Synonyms [2]

Agaricus subdulcisPers. (1801)
Agaricus lactifluus var. subdulcisPers.
Galorrheus subdulcis(Pers.) P.Kumm. (1871)
Lactifluus subdulcis(Pers.) Kuntze (1891)

Contents

Lactarius subdulcis
Information icon.svg
Gills icon.pnggills on hymenium
Convex cap icon.svg cap is convex
Adnate gills icon2.svg hymenium is adnate
Bare stipe icon.svg stipe is bare
Transparent spore print icon.svg
spore print is cream
Mycorrhizal fungus.svgecology is mycorrhizal
Mycomorphbox Edible.pngedibility: edible

Lactarius subdulcis, commonly known as the mild milkcap or beech milk cap, is an edible mushroom in the genus Lactarius . It is brown in colour, with a large number of gills and a particularly thin layer of flesh in the cap. Mycorrhizal, the mushroom is found from late summer to late autumn at the base of beech trees in small groups or individually, where it is one of the two most common species of fungi. Alternatively, it can be found in large groups in fields, sometimes with more than a hundred individual mushrooms. It is found in Europe, and, despite previous research to the contrary, is absent in North America. Although considered edible, it is not particularly useful as food due to its ivy-like taste and the fact that more choice mushrooms will be easily found at the same time. L. subdulcis is known for its abundant, sweet-tasting milk that, unlike the latex of some of its relatives, does not stain fabric yellow.

Taxonomy

Lactarius subdulcis was first described as Agaricus subdulcis by mycologist Christian Hendrik Persoon in 1801, [3] before English mycologist Samuel Frederick Gray placed it in its current genus Lactarius in 1821 in his The Natural Arrangement of British Plants. [4] The specific epithet is derived from Latin words sub "under", and dulcis "sweet", after the milk's delayed sweet taste. [5] As well as mild milk cap, [1] beech milk cap is an alternate common name. [6]

Description

L. subdulcis is known for the large amounts of milk it produces. Lactarius subdulcis - Lindsey 1b.jpg
L. subdulcis is known for the large amounts of milk it produces.

Lactarius subdulcis has a convex cap of 3–7 cm (1–3 in) across that later develops a depression. [1] It sometimes has a small umbo, and in colour can be a reddish-brown, rusty or dark-cinnamon, later paling to buff, [1] though darker in the middle. [7] The cap can be fairly rigid to flexible, and smooth to slightly wrinkled. [1] At first, the margin is incurved though it is sometimes slightly furrowed. [1] The stem is 3–7 cm long and between 6 and 13 mm thick, and is generally cylindrical though can be club-shaped. [1] The stem is sometimes furrowed lengthwise, and is generally the same colour as the cap, though paler at the top. [1] The flesh is pale and there is only a thin layer in the cap. [1] The crowded gills are adnate to slightly decurrent, and can be white or pink in colour. [1] [7] It has white, plentiful milk that does not stain fabrics yellow, differentiating it from other species of Lactarius , such as L. decipiens . [1] It has a faint, oily scent. [8]

Spores

Lactarius subdulcis has cream spore print with a slight salmon tinge. [1] The spores are oval, with largish warts of around 1 micrometre (μm) which are joined by a well-developed network of mostly thin ridges. [1] The spores measure 7.5–11 μm by 6.5–9 μm, and are amyloid or ellipsoid in shape. [1] [7] [8]

Distribution and habitat

Lactarius subdulcis is found in Europe; it does not occur in North America, although a number of similar brownish-orange species were formerly classified under this species. [9] It is found in broad-leaved woodland, especially on the floor at the base of beech trees. [1] Along with L. vellereus , L. subdulcis is the most common fungi found on beech trees. [10] The mushrooms can be found from late summer to late autumn, and are common. [1] They are found individually, or in small groups. [8] They can also be found in fields, generally appearing in large batches, with groups of over a hundred mushrooms not uncommon. [11]

Edibility

Lactarius subdulcis has a mild taste with a slightly bitter after-taste. [1] Though considered edible after cooking, it is not recommended, as it has a taste reminiscent of ivy. [7] There are a number of other mushrooms that appear at the same time and in the same areas as L. subdulcis that are preferable to it, including L. mitissimus , meaning that L. subdulcis is not particularly useful as a foodstuff. [12] The milk is one of distinguishing features, having a sweet taste that turns bitter in the mouth, [7] with L. subdulcis being considered a sweet milk mushroom. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Lactarius deterrimus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius deterrimus, also known as false saffron milkcap or orange milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The fungus produces medium-sized fruit bodies (mushrooms) with orangish caps up to 12 centimetres wide that develop green spots in old age or if injured. Its orange-coloured latex stains maroon within 30 minutes. Lactarius deterrimus is a mycorrhizal fungus that associates with Norway spruce and bearberry. The species is distributed in Europe, but has also found in parts of Asia. A visually similar species in the United States and Mexico is not closely related to the European species. Fruit bodies appear between late June and November, usually in spruce forests. Although the fungus is edible—like all Lactarius mushrooms from the section Deliciosi—its taste is often bitter, and it is not highly valued. The fruit bodies are used as source of food for the larvae of several insect species. Lactarius deterrimus can be distinguished from similar Lactarius species by difference in the mycorrhizal host or latex colour.

<i>Lactarius torminosus</i> Fungus in the family Russulaceae from North Africa, northern Asia, Europe, and North America

Lactarius torminosus, commonly known as the woolly milkcap or the bearded milkcap, is a large agaric fungus. A common and widely distributed species, it is found in North Africa, northern Asia, Europe, and North America. It was first described scientifically by Jacob Christian Schäffer in 1774 as an Agaricus, and later transferred to the genus Lactarius in 1821 by Samuel Frederick Gray. A variety, L. torminosus var. nordmanensis, is known from the United States, Canada, and Switzerland. L. torminosus officially became the type species of Lactarius in 2011 after molecular studies prompted the taxonomic reshuffling of species between several Russulaceae genera.

<i>Lactarius pyrogalus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius pyrogalus, commonly known as the fire-milk lactarius, is a species of inedible mushroom in genus Lactarius. It is greyish and differentiated from other grey Lactarius by its widely spaced, yellow gills. It is found on the forest floor in mixed woodland, especially at the base of hazel trees.

<i>Lactifluus piperatus</i> Species of fungus

Lactifluus piperatus, commonly known as the blancaccio, is a semi-edible basidiomycete fungus of the genus Lactifluus. Despite being edible, it is not recommended by some because of its poor taste, though can be used as seasoning when dried. The fruiting body is a creamy-white mushroom which is funnel-shaped when mature, with exceptionally crowded gills. It bleeds a whitish peppery-tasting milk when cut. Widely distributed across Europe and eastern North America, Lactifluus piperatus has been accidentally introduced to Australia. Mycorrhizal, it forms a symbiotic relationship with various species of deciduous tree, including beech, and hazel, and fruiting bodies are found on the forest floor in deciduous woodland.

<i>Lactarius blennius</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius blennius is a medium-sized mushroom of the genus Lactarius found commonly in beech forests in Europe, where it is mycorrhizal, favouring the European beech. It was first described by Elias Magnus Fries. Though its colour and size vary, it is distinctive because it is slimy when wet and exudes copious amounts of milk. It has been the subject of some chemical research, and it can be used to produce pigments and blennins. Blennins, some of which have shown potential medical application, are derived from lactarane, a chemical so named because of their association with Lactarius. The edibility of L. blennius is uncertain, with different mycologists suggesting that it is edible, inedible or even poisonous.

<i>Russula delica</i> Species of fungus

Russula delica is a mushroom that goes by the common name of milk-white brittlegill, and is a member of the genus Russula, all of which are collectively known as brittlegills. It is mostly white, with ochraceous or brownish cap markings, and a short robust stem. It is edible, but poor in taste, and grows in coniferous, broadleaved, or mixed woods. It can be confused with other white Russula species and certain white Lactarius species.

<i>Lactifluus volemus</i> Species of edible fungus in the family Russulaceae widely distributed in the northern hemisphere

Lactifluus volemus, formerly known as Lactarius volemus, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, in temperate regions of Europe, North America and Asia as well as some subtropical and tropical regions of Central America and Asia. A mycorrhizal fungus, its fruit bodies grow on the ground at the base of various species of trees from summer to autumn, either individually or in groups. It is valued as an edible mushroom, and is sold in markets in Asia. Several other Lactifluus mushrooms resemble L. volemus, such as the closely related edible species L. corrugis, but these can be distinguished by differences in distribution, visible morphology, and microscopic characteristics. L. volemus produces a white spore print and has roughly spherical spores about 7–8 micrometres in diameter.

<i>Lactarius glyciosmus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius glyciosmus, commonly known as the coconut scented milk cap, is a semi-edible mushroom in the genus Lactarius. Mycorrhizal, it can be found growing in soil at the base of birch trees in Europe. It is typically coloured a greyish lilac, with the sometimes hollow stem a little lighter coloured than the cap. It has crowded, decurrent gills, and smells strongly of coconuts.

<i>Lactarius tabidus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius tabidus, commonly known as the birch milkcap, is an inedible mushroom of the genus Lactarius. It can be found in North America and Europe, and grows at the base of pine in Autumn. Its white milk stains fabric a sulphur yellow, from which its specific epithet derives.

<i>Lactarius vietus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius vietus is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae, first described by Elias Magnus Fries. It produces moderately sized and brittle mushrooms, which grow on the forest floor or on rotting wood. The flattened-convex cap can vary in shape, sometimes forming the shape of a wide funnel. It is typically grey, but the colour varies. The species has crowded, light-coloured gills, which produce white milk. The spore print is typically whitish, but also varies considerably. The mushrooms typically have a strong, acrid taste and have been described as inedible, but other authors have described them as consumable after boiling. L. vietus feeds by forming an ectomycorrhizal relationship with surrounding trees, and it favours birch. It grows in autumn months and is fairly common in Europe, North America and eastern Asia.

<i>Lactarius pallidus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius pallidus, the pale milkcap, is an edible mushroom of the genus Lactarius. It is pale in colour, and found on the floor in beech or birch woodland. It's smooth cap features a particularly thick layer of flesh and often has an incurved margin. Though generally considered edible, it is not recommended to be eaten raw. It is common in Europe, and less common in North America and Australasia.

<i>Lactarius quietus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius quietus is a mushroom of the genus Lactarius. It is easily identified by its oily scent and the concentric bands on its cap. It is brown, and is probably named after its matt, "quiet" surface and colouration. It is found exclusively under oak trees in Europe, where it grows solitarily or in scattered groups in autumn months. In North America, the variety L. quietus var. incanus is fairly common in the same habitat. The mushroom's edibility is disputed.

<i>Lactarius indigo</i> Edible fungus in the family Russulaceae from eastern North America, East Asia, and Central America

Lactarius indigo, commonly known as the indigo milk cap, indigo milky, the indigo lactarius, or the blue milk mushroom, is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. A widely distributed species, it grows naturally in eastern North America, East Asia, and Central America; it has also been reported in southern France. L. indigo grows on the ground in both deciduous and coniferous forests, where it forms mycorrhizal associations with a broad range of trees. The fruit body color ranges from dark blue in fresh specimens to pale blue-gray in older ones. The milk, or latex, that oozes when the mushroom tissue is cut or broken — a feature common to all members of the genus Lactarius — is also indigo blue, but slowly turns green upon exposure to air. The cap has a diameter of 5 to 15 cm, and the stem is 2 to 8 cm tall and 1 to 2.5 cm thick. It is an edible mushroom, and is sold in rural markets in China, Guatemala, and Mexico. In Honduras the mushroom is called a chora, and it's generally eaten with egg; generally as a side dish for a bigger meal.

<i>Lactarius subflammeus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius subflammeus, commonly known as the orange milk cap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is found in western North America in the late summer and fall and is especially common in the Pacific Northwest, where it grows on the ground near conifers like pine and spruce. The brightly colored fruit bodies, which are slimy or sticky, have scarlet caps when young that soon fade to brilliant orange. The stem—typically longer than the width of the cap—is also bright orange but the gills are whitish. The mushroom secretes a whitish latex when it is cut or injured.

<i>Lactarius alnicola</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius alnicola, commonly known as the golden milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The fruit bodies produced by the fungus are characterized by a sticky, vanilla-colored cap up to 20 cm (7.9 in) wide with a mixture of yellow tones arranged in faint concentric bands. The stem is up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long and has yellow-brown spots. When it is cut or injured, the mushroom oozes a white latex, which has an intensely peppery taste. The acrid taste of the fruit bodies renders them unpalatable. The fungus is found in the western United States and Mexico, where it grows in mycorrhizal associations with various coniferous trees species, such as spruce, pine and fir, and deciduous species such as oak and alder. It has also been collected in India. Two varieties have been named: var. pitkinensis, known from Colorado, and var. pungens, from Michigan.

<i>Lactarius affinis</i> Species of mushroom

Lactarius affinis, commonly known as the kindred milk cap, is a species of milk-cap mushroom in the family Russulaceae. It is found northeastern North America, where it fruits in the summer and fall, and is common in the Great Lakes region. Its fruit bodies have medium to large, slimy dull yellow or brownish caps. Although not considered poisonous, it is unpalatable because of its highly acrid taste.

<i>Lactarius fallax</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius fallax, commonly known as the velvety milk cap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. Found in both spruce and mixed conifer forests, it is a fairly common species in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with a northerly range extending to Alaska. Its fruit bodies are medium-sized, with velvety, brown to blackish caps up to 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) in diameter bearing a distinct pointed umbo. The caps are supported by velvety stems up to 6 cm (2.4 in) long and 1.5 cm (0.6 in) thick. The mushroom oozes a whitish latex when it is cut, and injured tissue eventually turns a dull reddish color. The eastern North American and European species Lactarius lignyotus is closely similar in appearance, but can be distinguished by its differing range.

<i>Lactarius argillaceifolius</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius argillaceifolius is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The mushrooms produced by the fungus have convex to flattened drab lilac-colored caps that are up to 18 cm (7.1 in) wide. The cream-colored gills are closely spaced together and extend slightly down the length of the stem, which is up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long by 3.5 cm (1.4 in) thick. The mushroom produces an off-white latex when injured that stains the mushroom tissue brownish.

<i>Collybia tuberosa</i> Species of fungus

Collybia tuberosa, commonly known as the lentil shanklet or the appleseed coincap, is an inedible species of fungus in the family Tricholomataceae, and the type species of the genus Collybia. Like the two other members of its genus, it lives on the decomposing remains of other fleshy mushrooms. The fungus produces small whitish fruit bodies with caps up to 1 cm (0.4 in) wide held by thin stems up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long. On the underside of the cap are closely spaced white gills that are broadly attached to the stem. At the base of the stem, embedded in the substrate is a small reddish-brown sclerotium that somewhat resembles an apple seed. The appearance of the sclerotium distinguishes it from the other two species of Collybia, which are otherwise very similar in overall appearance. C. tuberosa is found in Europe, North America, and Japan, growing in dense clusters on species of Lactarius and Russula, boletes, hydnums, and polypores.

<i>Mycena arcangeliana</i> Species of fungus

Mycena arcangeliana is a species of Mycenaceae fungus. It has been known by a number of scientific names, and its taxonomy is still somewhat disputed. It produces small mushrooms with caps varying in colour from whitish to a darker grey-brown, and stems of an olive-greyish that fade with age. The mushrooms can be mistaken for the similar Mycena flavescens. They have a mild taste, but a strong smell of iodoform; they are not edible. The species grows on dead wood in autumn months, and can be found throughout Europe.

References

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