Lactarius piperatus
Encyclopedia
Lactarius piperatus, commonly known as the peppery milk-cap is a semi-edible
basidiomycete fungus of the genus Lactarius
. Despite being edible, it is not recommended due to 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, Lactarius 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.
in 1753 as Agaricus piperatus, the specific epithet deriving from the Latin
adjective piperatus meaning "peppery".
For many years, Tyrolian
naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli
had been considered the author of the first description, however a recent revision of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature in 1987 changed the rules regarding the starting date and primary work for names of fungi. Previously, the starting date had been set as January 1, 1821, the date of the works of the 'father of mycology', Swedish naturalist Elias Magnus Fries
, but now names can be considered valid as far back as May 1, 1753, the date of publication of Linnaeus' seminal work.
It is currently the type species
of the genus Lactarius
, however in the complex relationship between Lactarius and Russula
it is somewhat isolated from many other milk-cap species as it is in fact more closely related to many species of Russula than to most other milk-caps, and there has been discussion for the type to be redesignated in the likely break-up of the milk-cap genus.
It is commonly known as the peppery milk cap, pepper milkcap, peppery Lactarius, peppery milk mushroom, white peppery milk-cap, or other similar names. Similarly, in German it is known as the Pfeffer-milchling.
L. piperatus has a cap
that varies from 6–16 cm (2.4–6.4 in) across and is convex with a widely funnel-shaped centre. The cap is creamy-white in colour, glabrous
and not glossy; its surface may become cracked in dry locales. The stipe
is white in colour, smooth, 3–7 cm (1.4–2.8 in) long by 2–3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) thick and is cylindrical, sometimes tapering towards the base. There is a thick layer of firm white flesh, and the decurrent
gills are particularly crowded and narrow, sharing the white colouration of the stem but becoming creamy with age. As with other species of Lactarius, there is abundant milk (latex
), which is white, and dries olive-green. It has a white spore print
with elongate, elliptic or amyloid
spores which are ornamented, as with L. vellereus
. The spores measure from 6.5–9.5 by 5–8 μm
, and have tiny warts.
L. vellereus is larger with a thick stipe, woolly cap and less crowded gills, but is not as tall. Russula delica
is similar in colour and shape, though has adnate blue-green tinged gills and no milk. L. deceptivus
is also similar, but is differentiated by its less crowded gills, firmer cap margin and less acrid milk. Variants of L. piperatus include L. piperatus var. glaucescens, sometimes known as L. glaucescens, which is differentiated by its milk, which dries a greenish colour.
, the Black sea
region in northeastern Turkey
, and eastern and central North America
east of Minnesota
. It has been accidentally introduced into Australasia
, where it is found under introduced and native trees. It is found on the floor in deciduous
woodland
, particularly beech, and can be found throughout summer and autumn and into early winter. It is relatively common, though not as common as its cousin L. vellereus. L. piperatus is found solitarily or in scattered groups. It is sometimes found growing together with Russula cyanoxantha
.
as inedible or even poison
ous, L. piperatus is generally considered edible. However, it is not recommended, due to its unpleasant taste. It is difficult to digest when eaten raw, but is used as a seasoning when dried, or sometimes is eaten fresh after parboiling, though its taste is still unappetising. Some recommend frying
in butter with bacon and onion or pickling
, or baking in a pie or pastry as other ways to prepare it. The milk has a very hot and acrid taste, which is removed if boiled. The mushroom used to be highly regarded in Russia
, where it would be picked in dry seasons when other edible species were less available. The mushroom is also popular in Finland
, where cooks boil it repeatedly, disposing of the water each time, and then store it in salt water and keep it refrigerated, after which it is pickled or served in salads. When eaten fresh and raw, the mushroom has been known to cause an irritant reaction
on the lips and tongue, which subsides after an hour. L. piperatus var. glaucescens has been reported to be poisonous, but it has been speculated that the "poisonings" were caused by the extremely strong, peppery taste, rather than by the presence of actual poisons.
L. piperatus forms part of an unusual and highly regarded dish in North America, being one of species several colonised by the lobster mushroom Hypomyces lactifluorum. This results in an orange-pink crusty outer-skin which improves the taste. It is also a common source of food among red squirrel
s.
s in L. piperatus metabolite
s, it can be applied as a rooting hormone to aid the growth of seedlings of various species of plants, including hazel
, beech
and oak
. In the 19th century, it was also used as a folk cure
for tuberculosis
, though it had no effect. In more recent times, it has been found that L. piperatus can be used as an antiviral
agent, and the latex has been used against viral
wart
s.
Edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
basidiomycete fungus of the genus Lactarius
Lactarius
Lactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing fungi. The genus, collectively known commonly as milk-caps, are characterized by the fact that they exude a milky fluid if cut or damaged...
. Despite being edible, it is not recommended due to 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
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
when cut. Widely distributed across Europe and eastern North America, Lactarius piperatus has been accidentally introduced to Australia. Mycorrhizal, it forms a symbiotic relationship with various species of deciduous tree, including beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, and hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
, and fruiting bodies are found on the forest floor in deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
woodland.
Taxonomy
The species was one of the many species named by Linnaeus who officially described it in Volume Two of his Species PlantarumSpecies Plantarum
Species Plantarum was first published in 1753, as a two-volume work by Carl Linnaeus. Its prime importance is perhaps that it is the primary starting point of plant nomenclature as it exists today. This means that the first names to be considered validly published in botany are those that appear...
in 1753 as Agaricus piperatus, the specific epithet deriving from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
adjective piperatus meaning "peppery".
For many years, Tyrolian
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli
Giovanni Antonio Scopoli
Giovanni Antonio Scopoli was an Italian physician and naturalist.-Biography:...
had been considered the author of the first description, however a recent revision of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature in 1987 changed the rules regarding the starting date and primary work for names of fungi. Previously, the starting date had been set as January 1, 1821, the date of the works of the 'father of mycology', Swedish naturalist Elias Magnus Fries
Elias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
, but now names can be considered valid as far back as May 1, 1753, the date of publication of Linnaeus' seminal work.
It is currently the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
of the genus Lactarius
Lactarius
Lactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing fungi. The genus, collectively known commonly as milk-caps, are characterized by the fact that they exude a milky fluid if cut or damaged...
, however in the complex relationship between Lactarius and Russula
Russula
Around 750 worldwide species of mycorrhizal mushrooms compose the genus Russula. They are typically common, fairly large, and brightly colored - making them one of the most recognizable genera among mycologists and mushroom collectors...
it is somewhat isolated from many other milk-cap species as it is in fact more closely related to many species of Russula than to most other milk-caps, and there has been discussion for the type to be redesignated in the likely break-up of the milk-cap genus.
It is commonly known as the peppery milk cap, pepper milkcap, peppery Lactarius, peppery milk mushroom, white peppery milk-cap, or other similar names. Similarly, in German it is known as the Pfeffer-milchling.
Description
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
that varies from 6–16 cm (2.4–6.4 in) across and is convex with a widely funnel-shaped centre. The cap is creamy-white in colour, glabrous
Glabrousness
Glabrousness is the technical term for an anatomically atypical lack of hair, down, or similar structures...
and not glossy; its surface may become cracked in dry locales. The stipe
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is white in colour, smooth, 3–7 cm (1.4–2.8 in) long by 2–3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) thick and is cylindrical, sometimes tapering towards the base. There is a thick layer of firm white flesh, and the decurrent
Decurrent
Decurrent is a term used in botany and mycology to describe plant or fungal parts that extend downward.In botany, the term is most often applied to leaf blades that partly wrap or have wings around the stem or petiole and extend down along the stem...
gills are particularly crowded and narrow, sharing the white colouration of the stem but becoming creamy with age. As with other species of Lactarius, there is abundant milk (latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
), which is white, and dries olive-green. It has a white spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
with elongate, elliptic or amyloid
Amyloid
Amyloids are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates sharing specific structural traits. Abnormal accumulation of amyloid in organs may lead to amyloidosis, and may play a role in various neurodegenerative diseases.-Definition:...
spores which are ornamented, as with L. vellereus
Lactarius vellereus
Lactarius vellereus, commonly known as the fleecy milk-cap, is a very large fungus in the milk-cap genus Lactarius. It is one of the two most common milk-caps found with beech trees, with the other being L. subdulcis.-Description:...
. The spores measure from 6.5–9.5 by 5–8 μm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
, and have tiny warts.
L. vellereus is larger with a thick stipe, woolly cap and less crowded gills, but is not as tall. Russula delica
Russula delica
Russula delica is a mushroom that goes by the common name of milk-white brittlegill, and is a member of the Russula genus, all of which are collectively known as brittlegills. It is mostly white, with brownish cap markings, and a short robust stem. It is edible, but poor in taste, and grows in...
is similar in colour and shape, though has adnate blue-green tinged gills and no milk. L. deceptivus
Lactarius deceptivus
Lactarius deceptivus, commonly known as the deceiving milkcap, is a common species of fungus in the Russulaceae family. 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...
is also similar, but is differentiated by its less crowded gills, firmer cap margin and less acrid milk. Variants of L. piperatus include L. piperatus var. glaucescens, sometimes known as L. glaucescens, which is differentiated by its milk, which dries a greenish colour.
Distribution and habitat
L. piperatus is found in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Black sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
region in northeastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and eastern and central North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
east of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. It has been accidentally introduced into Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
, where it is found under introduced and native trees. It is found on the floor in deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
, particularly beech, and can be found throughout summer and autumn and into early winter. It is relatively common, though not as common as its cousin L. vellereus. L. piperatus is found solitarily or in scattered groups. It is sometimes found growing together with Russula cyanoxantha
Russula cyanoxantha
Russula cyanoxantha, synonymous with R. xyanoxantha, commonly known as the charcoal burner, is a basidiomycete mushroom, distinguished from most other members of the Russula genus by the fact that its gills do not split, but are soft and flexible. It is one of the most common species of Russula in...
.
Edibility
Despite being described by some mycologistsMycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
as inedible or even poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ous, L. piperatus is generally considered edible. However, it is not recommended, due to its unpleasant taste. It is difficult to digest when eaten raw, but is used as a seasoning when dried, or sometimes is eaten fresh after parboiling, though its taste is still unappetising. Some recommend frying
Frying
Frying is the cooking of food in oil or another fat, a technique that originated in ancient Egypt around 2500 BC. Chemically, oils and fats are the same, differing only in melting point, but the distinction is only made when needed. In commerce, many fats are called oils by custom, e.g...
in butter with bacon and onion or pickling
Pickling
Pickling, also known as brining or corning is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar . The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure gives the food a salty or sour taste...
, or baking in a pie or pastry as other ways to prepare it. The milk has a very hot and acrid taste, which is removed if boiled. The mushroom used to be highly regarded in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, where it would be picked in dry seasons when other edible species were less available. The mushroom is also popular in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, where cooks boil it repeatedly, disposing of the water each time, and then store it in salt water and keep it refrigerated, after which it is pickled or served in salads. When eaten fresh and raw, the mushroom has been known to cause an irritant reaction
Irritation
Irritation or exacerbation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant...
on the lips and tongue, which subsides after an hour. L. piperatus var. glaucescens has been reported to be poisonous, but it has been speculated that the "poisonings" were caused by the extremely strong, peppery taste, rather than by the presence of actual poisons.
L. piperatus forms part of an unusual and highly regarded dish in North America, being one of species several colonised by the lobster mushroom Hypomyces lactifluorum. This results in an orange-pink crusty outer-skin which improves the taste. It is also a common source of food among red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
s.
Other uses
Due to the presence of auxinAuxin
Auxins are a class of plant hormones with some morphogen-like characteristics. Auxins have a cardinal role in coordination of many growth and behavioral processes in the plant's life cycle and are essential for plant body development. Auxins and their role in plant growth were first described by...
s in L. piperatus metabolite
Metabolite
Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules. A primary metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction. Alcohol is an example of a primary metabolite produced in large-scale by industrial...
s, it can be applied as a rooting hormone to aid the growth of seedlings of various species of plants, including hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
, beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
. In the 19th century, it was also used as a folk cure
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
for tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, though it had no effect. In more recent times, it has been found that L. piperatus can be used as an antiviral
Antiviral drug
Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used specifically for treating viral infections. Like antibiotics for bacteria, specific antivirals are used for specific viruses...
agent, and the latex has been used against viral
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
wart
Wart
A wart is generally a small, rough growth, typically on a human’s hands or feet but often other locations, that can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. They are caused by a viral infection, specifically by human papillomavirus 2 and 7. There are as many as 10 varieties of warts, the most...
s.