The Russulaceae are a diverse family of fungi in the order Russulales, with roughly 1,900 known species and a worldwide distribution. They comprise the brittlegills and the milk-caps, well-known mushroom-forming fungi that include some edible species. These gilled mushrooms are characterised by the brittle flesh of their fruitbodies.
Lactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing, ectomycorrhizal fungi, containing several edible species. The species of the genus, commonly known as milk-caps, are characterized by the milky fluid ("latex") they exude when cut or damaged. Like the closely related genus Russula, their flesh has a distinctive brittle consistency. It is a large genus with over 500 known species, mainly distributed in the Northern hemisphere. Recently, the genus Lactifluus has been separated from Lactarius based on molecular phylogenetic evidence.
Lactifluus vellereus, commonly known as the fleecy milk-cap, is a quite large fungus in the genus Lactifluus. It is one of the two most common milk-caps found with beech trees, with the other being Lactarius subdulcis.
Milk-cap is a common name that refers to mushroom-forming fungi of the genera Lactarius, Lactifluus, and Multifurca, all in the family Russulaceae. The common and eponymous feature of their fruitbodies is the latex ("milk") they exude when cut or bruised. Mushrooms with typical milk-cap characteristics are said to have a lactarioid habit. Some of them are edible.
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.
Lactifluus volemus, formerly known as Lactarius volemus, and commonly known as the weeping milk cap or bradley, 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.
Armillaria pelliculata is a species of agaric fungus in the family Physalacriaceae. This species is found in Africa.
Multifurca is a rare genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the family Russulaceae. It was described in 2008, after molecular phylogenetic study had shown that it forms a monophyletic lineage within the family, sister to Lactarius. The genus contains six species known from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, India, China, Thailand, Australia, and New Caledonia, but so far has not been reported from Europe, Africa, or South America. Four of those species were formerly classified as Russula section Ochricompactae, and Multifurca furcata was originally described as a Lactarius species.
Zelleromyces is a genus of fungi in the family Russulaceae. It was first described by mycologists Rolf Singer and Alexander H. Smith in 1960 to contain hypogeous (underground) fungi with gasteroid fruit bodies that "bleed" latex when they are cut.
Lactifluus deceptivus, commonly known as the deceiving milkcap, is a common species of fungus in the family Russulaceae.
Lactarius chromospermus is a tropical African member of the large milk-cap genus Lactarius in the family Russulaceae, first described scientifically by David Pegler in 1982.
Lactarius distantifolius is a member of the large milk-cap genus Lactarius in the order Russulales. Found in Chiang Mai Province, it was described as new to science in 2010. The fruit bodies of the fungus were found growing in a teak plantation with Dipterocarpus obtusifolius and other Dipterocarpus species, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, and Shorea species.
Lactifluus vitellinus is a species of milk-cap mushroom in the order Russulales. Found in northern Thailand, it was described as new to science in 2010.
Lactifluus heimii is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is found in Burundi, where it grows in miombo woodland dominated by Bracystegia utilis.
Lactifluus edulis is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. Described as new to science in 1994, it is found in Burundi.
Lactifluus densifolius is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is found in Zambia, where it grows in miombo woodland.
Lactifluus aureifolius is a species of agaric fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is found in Burundi, which grows in miombo woodland dominated by Brachystegia utilis. The fungus was described in 1996 as a species of Lactarius.
Arcangeliella crassa, commonly known as the gasteroid milk cap, is a North American secotioid fungus species in the family Russulaceae. Research suggests that the contents of genus Arcangeliella, should probably be transferred into the genus Lactarius. It was described from a collection made in Stanislaus National Forest, Northern California.
Lactifluus clarkeae, formerly known as Lactarius clarkeae, is a species of mushroom-forming fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is found in Australia and New Zealand in mycorrhizal association with species of Nothofagus and the family Myrtaceae.
