Lactarius fulvissimus

What You Should Know

Lactarius fulvissimus has a convex cap, expanding and eventually developing a central depression; 3 to 7 cm in diameter; surface dry or only slightly greasy, smooth to finely matt, becoming roughened towards the center when fully mature; pinkish brick red at first, developing a yellowish tinge and becoming apricot.

Other names: Tawny Milkcap.

Lactarius fulvissimus Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   Initially convex, expanding and eventually developing a central depression; 3 to 7cm in diameter; surface dry or only slightly greasy, smooth to finely matt, becoming roughened towards the center when fully mature; pinkish brick red at first, developing a yellowish tinge and becoming apricot.

2. Gills

   Pale pinkish-buff; adnate (sometimes with a slight tooth near the attachment point) or slightly decurrent; moderately crowded, some being forked; when cut releasing a whitish watery latex that is unchanging.

3. Stem

   Dry, smooth, pinkish buff to brownish orange, often paler towards apex; cylindrical or slightly fusiform; 3 to 6cm long, 0.9 to 1.6cm in diameter; sometimes developing a cavity when old. Stem flesh yellowish buff, firm, and brittle.

4. Spores

   Subglobose, 6-9 x 5.5-7.5µm; ornamented with pointed warts up to 1.2µm in height and some narrow ridges, a few of which are connected to form an incomplete network of ridges.

5. Spore Print

   Creamy-buff with a pinkish tinge.

6. Odor and Taste

   Unpleasant spicy odor; initially tasting mild then becoming slightly acrid.

7. Habitat & Ecological Role

   Mycorrhizal, in broadleaf woodland, often under oaks, limes, hornbeams, or beeches on base-rich soil.

8. Similar Species

   Lactarius quietus is of similar size and also occurs under oaks.

Lactarius fulvissimus Taxonomy and Etymology

This species was described in 1954 by French mycologist Henri Charles Louis Romagnesi (1912 - 1999), who named it Lactarius fulvissimus.

Synonyms of Lactarius fulvissimus include Lactarius subsericatus Kühner & Romagn. ex Bon. This milkcap has also been described under the following binomials: Lactarius cremor, Lactarius decipiens, and Lactarius ichoratus.

Lactarius britannicus D.A. Reid is treated by many authorities as synonymous with Lactarius fulvissimus - please see the opening paragraph of this page.

The generic name Lactarius means producing milk (lactating) - a reference to the milky latex that is exuded from the gills of milkcap fungi when they are cut or torn.

The specific epithet fulvissimus means strongly reddish-brown (very fulvous!).

Sources:

Photo 1 - Author: James Lindsey (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic)

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