Lactifluus vellereus
| Lactifluus vellereus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Russulales |
| Family: | Russulaceae |
| Genus: | Lactifluus |
| Species: | L. vellereus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lactifluus vellereus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Agaricus vellereus Fr. (1821) | |
Lactifluus vellereus | |
|---|---|
 | Gills on hymenium |
 | Cap is depressed |
 | Hymenium is decurrent |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is white |
 | Ecology is mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is inedible |
Lactifluus vellereus (formerly Lactarius 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.
Taxonomy and systematics
[edit]Lactifluus vellereus is one of a handful of north temperate milk caps that belong to the genus Lactifluus which has been separated from Lactarius on phylogenetic grounds.[2] Its closest species is L. bertillonii, with which it forms a rather isolated clade in the genus.[2]
Description
[edit]Like other mushrooms in the family Russulaceae, the L. vellereus fruit body has crumbly, rather than fibrous, flesh, and when this is broken the fungus exudes a milky latex. The mature caps are white to cream, funnel-shaped, and up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. It has firm flesh, and a stipe which is shorter than the fruit body is wide. The gills are fairly distant (quite far apart), decurrent, and narrow, and have brown specks from the drying milk.[3] The spore print is white in colour.[4]
Lactifluus bertillonii is closely related and very similar, but has hotter milk.[4] Another similar, but phylogenetically distant species is Lactarius controversus, distinguishable mainly by its white gills and lack of rosy markings on the upper cap.
Distribution and habitat
[edit]
The mushroom is found in deciduous woods, from late summer to early winter.[4] It is found in Britain and Europe.
Edibility
[edit]The milk tastes mild on its own, but hot when tasted with the flesh.[4] It is considered inedible because of its peppery taste.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "MycoBank: Lactifluus vellereus". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2014-10-28.
- ^ a b Verbeken A, Nuytinck J. (2013). "Not every milkcap is a Lactarius" (PDF). Scripta Botanica Belgica. 51: 162–168.
- ^ Laessoe T. (1998). Mushrooms (flexi bound). Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0-7513-1070-0.
- ^ a b c d Roger Phillips (2006). Mushrooms. Pan MacMillan. ISBN 0-330-44237-6.
Media related to Lactarius vellereus at Wikimedia Commons
