Lactifluus deceptivus

Last updated
Lactifluus deceptivus
Lactarius deceptivus 50255.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Russulales
Family: Russulaceae
Genus: Lactarius
Species:
L. deceptivus
Binomial name
Lactarius deceptivus
(Peck) Kuntze (1891)
Synonyms [1]

Lactarius deceptivusPeck (1885)
Lactarius tomentosomarginatus Hesler & A.H.Sm. (1979)

Contents

Lactifluus deceptivus
Information icon.svg
Gills icon.png Gills on hymenium
Depressed cap icon.svg Cap is depressed
Decurrent gills icon2.svg Hymenium is decurrent
Bare stipe icon.svg Stipe is bare
Transparent spore print icon.svg
Spore print is white
Mycorrhizal fungus.svgEcology is mycorrhizal
Mycomorphbox Caution.pngEdibility is not recommended

Lactifluus deceptivus (synonym Lactarius deceptivus), commonly known as the deceiving milkcap, is a common species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is found throughout eastern North America on the ground in coniferous forests near hemlock or deciduous forests near oak, and in oak-dominated forests of Costa Rica. It produces large mushrooms with funnel-shaped caps reaching up to 25 cm (9.8 in) in diameter, on top of hard white stems that may reach 4–10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) long and up to 3 cm (1.2 in) thick. The gills are closely spaced together and yellowish-cream in color. When young, the cap is white in all parts, but the depressed center becomes dull brownish in age and breaks up into scales. The edge of the cap has a roll of cottony tissue that collapses as the cap expands. The surface of the stem—especially near the base—has a velvety texture. The mushroom "bleeds" a milky white acrid latex when it is cut or injured. Similar milk-cap species with which L. deceptivus might be confused include Lactifluus piperatus , L. pseudodeceptivus, L. caeruleitinctus, L. subvellereus, Lactarius arcuatus and Lactarius parvulus.

Taxonomy

The species was first described in the scientific literature by American mycologist Charles Horton Peck in 1885. [2] The specific epithet deceptivus is derived from the Latin word for "deceptive". [3] The name may allude to the contrasting appearance of young and old fruit bodies. [4] It is commonly known as the "deceptive lactarius", the "deceiving lactarius", [4] or the "deceptive milkcap". In the state of Puebla, Mexico, it is known as oreja de chivo, or "kid ear". [5]

Following the split-off of the phylogenetically distinct genus Lactifluus from the other milk-caps in the genus Lactarius , [6] [7] the correct combination for the species is the one made by Otto Kuntze in 1891, [1] Lactifluus deceptivus. Within the genus Lactifluus, L. deceptivus is classified in the subgenus Lactifluus, section Albati. Characteristics of species in this section include a white or whitish immature cap that may later turn yellow-brown to cinnamon-color; white to cream-colored latex that typically has an acrid taste; a velvet-textured stem due to a cuticle made of long narrow, thick-walled hairs. Other species in this section include L. vellereus (the type species), L. subvellereus , and L. caeruleitinctus . [8]

Based on a morphological study published in 2005, Lactarius tomentosomarginatus is considered synonymous with Lactifluus deceptivus. [9] L. tomentosomarginatus, described by Hesler and Smith in their 1979 monograph of North American milk-caps, was considered by them to be a "satellite species", differing from L. deceptivus on the basis of smaller spores, smaller ornamentations on the surface of the spores, crowded and forked narrow gills, and differences in the micro-structure of the cap cuticle. [10]

Description

The closely spaced gills are whitish before turning tan in age. Lactarius deceptivus 50256.jpg
The closely spaced gills are whitish before turning tan in age.

The cap is 7.5–25.5 cm (3.0–10.0 in) in diameter, initially convex, but becomes funnel-shaped in age. The margin (cap edge) is rolled inwards and cottony when young, concealing the immature gills. The cap surface is dry, smooth and whitish when young, often with yellowish or brownish stains, but becomes coarsely scaly and darkens to dull brownish-ochre with age. The gills have an adnate to decurrent attachment to the stem, close to subdistant, white at first then cream to pale ochre. They are 5–65 mm (0.2–2.6 in) long and 1–7 mm (0.04–0.3 in) deep. [11] The stem is 4–10 cm (1.6–3.9 in) long, up to 3 cm (1.2 in) thick, nearly equal in width throughout or tapered downward. It is dry, scurfy to nearly smooth and white, staining brown with age. [12] It is initially stuffed (as if filled with cotton), but later becomes hollow. The flesh is thick and white, and between 3 and 15 mm (0.1 and 0.6 in) thick. The latex produced by the mushroom is white, and does not change color upon exposure to air, although it stains the mushroom flesh a yellowish-brown color. [11]

The odor of the flesh and latex may range from indistinct to pungent or turnip-like in age; the taste is strongly acrid—so much that it may have an anesthetizing effect in the throat. [11] In his original description of the species, Peck reported "An experiment of its edible qualities was made without any evil consequences." [2] Thorough cooking removes the bitter taste, [12] but the mushroom is not highly regarded as an edible, [4] and as Hesler and Smith have noted, "some of our acquaintances have found it rather undesirable (and indigestible)." [13] Other guides list it as outright inedible. [14] The mushroom is sold at traditional markets in Puebla, Mexico. [5]

Microscopic characteristics

The spore print, freshly made, is white to whitish; after drying out the spores in mass are pale yellowish. The spores are broadly ellipsoid, hyaline (translucent) and measure 9–13 by 7–9  μm. An apiculus is prominent. The spores are ornamented with warts and spines that do not form a reticulum (a system of raised, net-like ridges) on the surface. The prominences are up to 1.5 μm high, and amyloid, meaning they absorb iodine when stained with Melzer's reagent. The basidia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored, and measure 46–58 by 7–9 μm. The pleurocystidia (cystidia found on the face of a gill) are very abundant, roughly club-shaped to ventricose(swollen in the middle), with apices often tapering; their dimensions are 48–96 x 6–10 μm. The cheilocystidia (cystidia on the edge of the gills) are 40–58 x 5–7 μm, and more or less similar in appearance to the pleurocystidia. [13] The cap cuticle is made of a layer of somewhat uplifted hyphae. The stem cuticle is a layer of bent-over hyphae bearing thick-walled, filamentous caulocystidia (cystidia on the stem), and it lacks a gelatinous layer. [12]

Similar species

The fungus Lactifluus pseudodeceptivus is very similar to L. deceptivus in its external appearance, but it has spore ornamentation that forms a reticulum, and its stem is an ixocutis (a gelatinous layer of hyphae lying parallel to the surface). L. caeruleitinctus is also similar in appearance, but it has a milky-white stem with blue tints that develops more intense blue coloration after handling, and it lacks a cottony, inrolled margin. Other lookalike species include Lactarius arcuatus , which has a much smaller cap and smaller spores, [15] and Lactarius parvulus , which has a small, zonate cap. [16] Russula brevipes and R. angustispora are also somewhat similar in appearance, but they do not produce latex when cut or injured. Lactifluus subvellereus var. subdistans has more widely spaced gills, and an even cap margin. Lactifluus piperatus has densely crowded gills, a firm rather than soft and cottony cap margin, and exceedingly acrid latex. [4]

Habitat and distribution

Caps of older specimens break up into yellowish brown scales from the center outward. Lactarius deceptivus 56432.jpg
Caps of older specimens break up into yellowish brown scales from the center outward.

Like all milk-caps (Lactarius and Lactifluus), L. deceptivus is mycorrhizal, meaning the fungus forms a mutualistic association with certain trees and shrubs. The subterranean mycelium of the fungus forms an intimate association with tree roots, enveloping them in a sheath of tissue that allows both organisms to exchange nutrients they would otherwise be unable to obtain. The fruit bodies of the fungus grow solitarily, scattered, or in groups on the ground in conifer or hardwood forests, often under oak (Quercus) or hemlock (Tsuga). Smith has noted a preference for bogs and the edges of woodland pools in hardwood forests, and in oak stands that have an understory of blueberry bushes ( Vaccinium species). [17] It is widely distributed in eastern North America, and has also been reported from southern [11] and western Canada. [3] It is a fairly common species, and fruits from June to October. [11] The mushroom has also been reported from Mexico (in Puebla and in Veracruz) from oak and pine forests, at altitudes slightly over 2,000 meters (1.2 mi), [18] and from Costa Rica, where it is abundant in oak forests. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

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.

<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 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. It is a widely distributed species, growing 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 5–15 cm (2–6 in), and the stem is 2–8 cm (0.8–3 in) tall and 1–2.5 cm (0.4–1.0 in) 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 is 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 aspideus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius aspideus, commonly known as the bright yellow milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. Distinctive characteristics of the fruit body include the sticky, pale yellow cap, and the abundant latex that stains the mushroom tissue lilac. It is found in North America.

<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 pubescens</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius pubescens, commonly known as the downy milk cap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is a medium to large agaric with a creamy-buff, hairy cap, whitish gills and short stout stem. The fungus has a cosmopolitan distribution, and grows solitarily or in scattered groups on sandy soil under or near birch.

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

Lactarius repraesentaneus, commonly known as the northern bearded milkcap, the northern milkcap, or the purple-staining bearded milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It has a northerly distribution, and is found in temperate regions of North America and Europe, associated with spruce trees. Distinguishing features of its fruit body include the large orange-yellow cap up to 18 cm (7.1 in) wide, cream to pale yellow gills, and a yellow coarsely-pitted stem that is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long and 3 cm (1.2 in) thick. Cut fruit bodies ooze a white latex that will stain mushroom tissue lilac to purple. Several chemicals have been isolated and identified from the fruit bodies that can modify the growth of plants, and the mushroom also has antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus. L. repraesentaneus is poisonous, and consumption causes stomach aches.

<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 fumosus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius fumosus, commonly known as the smoky milkcap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae.

<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>Lactarius rufulus</i> Species of fungus

Lactarius rufulus, also known as the rufous candy cap or the southern candy cap, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The fruit bodies have fleshy brownish-red caps up to 10 cm (3.9 in) wide, and closely spaced pinkish-yellow gills. The stem is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long and 3 cm (1.2 in) thick and colored similarly to the cap. The species, known only from California, Arizona, and Mexico, grows on the ground in leaf litter near oak trees. The fruit bodies resembles those of L. rufus, but L. rufulus tends to grow in clusters at a common base, rather than solitarily or in groups. A distinguishing microscopic characteristic is the near absence of large, spherical cells called sphaerocysts that are otherwise common in Lactarius species. Lactarius rufulus mushrooms are edible, and have an odor resembling maple syrup. They have been used to flavor confections and desserts.

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

Lactarius vinaceorufescens, commonly known as the yellow-staining milkcap or the yellow-latex milky, is a poisonous species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It produces mushrooms with pinkish-cinnamon caps up to 12 cm (4.7 in) wide held by pinkish-white stems up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long. The closely spaced whitish to pinkish buff gills develop wine-red spots in age. When it is cut or injured, the mushroom oozes a white latex that rapidly turns bright sulfur-yellow. The species, common and widely distributed in North America, grows in the ground in association with conifer trees. There are several other Lactarius species that bear resemblance to L. vinaceorufescens, but most can be distinguished by differences in staining reactions, macroscopic characteristics, or habitat.

<i>Hygrophorus bakerensis</i> Species of fungus

Hygrophorus bakerensis, commonly known as the Mt. Baker waxy cap, the brown almond waxy cap or the tawny almond waxy cap, is a species of fungus in the family Hygrophoraceae. It is characterized by its medium to large, relatively slender-statured fruit bodies with an almond odor, and growth often on or near rotting conifer wood. The slimy cap is brown in the center and cream to white near its curved edges. The gills and the stem are white, and in moist environments are often covered with droplets of a translucent liquid. The mushroom is known only from the United States, where it is common in coniferous forests throughout the Pacific Northwest. It was initially collected in Washington State on Mount Baker, a volcano. Although edible, the mushroom is not considered to be of high quality.

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

Lactifluus rupestris is a species of mushroom in the family Russulaceae. Described as a new species in 2010, it is known only from the semi-arid region in the National Park of Catimbau of Brazil. The mushroom is characterized by a stout fruit body with a smooth and sticky orange cap up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter. The gills on the underside of the cap are closely spaced and frequently anastomosed. The stem is 35–45 mm (1.4–1.8 in) long by 18–21 mm (0.71–0.83 in) thick. The mushrooms exude a sparse cream-colored latex when cut or injured.

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

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.

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

Lactarius xanthogalactus, commonly known as the yellow-staining milkcap is a poisonous species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. The species is found on the west coast of the United States and grows in the ground in association with hardwood and conifer trees. There are several other Lactarius species that bear resemblance to L. xanthogalactus, but most can be distinguished by differences in staining reactions, macroscopic characteristics, or habitat.

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