Lactarius rufus
Encyclopedia
Lactarius rufus is a common, medium sized member of the Lactarius
genus, whose many members are commonly known as milkcaps. Known by the common name of the Rufous Milkcap, or the Red Hot Milk Cap in North America
. It is dark brick red in color, edible, and grows with pine
or birch
trees.
, and later by the Swedish father of modern mycology Elias Magnus Fries
. The specific epithet rufus is a reference to its colour.
is up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in diameter. It is dark brick, bay, or red-brown. At first it is convex, and often has a small central boss (umbo), but later flattens, eventually acquiring a shallow central depression. The surface is dry and matt. The concolorous, but paler stem
often becomes hollow with age. The gills are slightly decurrent, cream, becoming coloured as the cap later, only paler. The spore print
is creamy white, with a slight salmon tinge. The flesh is white, as is the milk, which tastes mild initially, gradually becoming very hot, and acrid after a minute or so.
zones in Europe
and North America
. It is most commonly found with pine
trees, but can also appear with birch
, or spruce
. It is common in northern California
, and the Pacific Northwest
from late summer to early winter.
notes that it is eaten in Scandinavian countries after canning, and also mentions that there may be edibility differences in North American and European versions of the mushroom. In order to eat these mushrooms, you will have to cook them approximately 10 minutes in plenty of water. After this, you can either preserve them in vinegar or salt water or freeze them lightly salted. These mushrooms make a great salad, with mayonnaise, cream and onions.
Be careful when tasting for identification purposes, and only take a tiny piece. The delayed action effect masks an extremely hot (maybe the hottest) mushroom.
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...
genus, whose many members are commonly known as milkcaps. Known by the common name of the Rufous Milkcap, or the Red Hot Milk Cap in 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...
. It is dark brick red in color, edible, and grows with pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
or birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
trees.
Taxonomy
Described originally by Giovanni Antonio ScopoliGiovanni Antonio Scopoli
Giovanni Antonio Scopoli was an Italian physician and naturalist.-Biography:...
, and later by the Swedish father of modern mycology Elias Magnus Fries
Elias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
. The specific epithet rufus is a reference to its colour.
Description
The capPileus (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...
is up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in diameter. It is dark brick, bay, or red-brown. At first it is convex, and often has a small central boss (umbo), but later flattens, eventually acquiring a shallow central depression. The surface is dry and matt. The concolorous, but paler stem
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...
often becomes hollow with age. The gills are slightly decurrent, cream, becoming coloured as the cap later, only paler. The 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...
is creamy white, with a slight salmon tinge. The flesh is white, as is the milk, which tastes mild initially, gradually becoming very hot, and acrid after a minute or so.
Distribution and habitat
Lactarius rufus appears from late spring to late autumn. It is frequent in the northern temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
zones in Europe
Europe
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...
and 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...
. It is most commonly found with pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
trees, but can also appear with birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, or spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
. It is common in northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
from late summer to early winter.
Edibility
Lactarius rufus is generally not recommended for consumption. However, it is used in some places as a condiment after special treatment, and mycologist David AroraDavid Arora
David Arora is an American mycologist, naturalist, and writer. He is the author of two popular books on mushroom identification, Mushrooms Demystified and All That the Rain Promises and More.......
notes that it is eaten in Scandinavian countries after canning, and also mentions that there may be edibility differences in North American and European versions of the mushroom. In order to eat these mushrooms, you will have to cook them approximately 10 minutes in plenty of water. After this, you can either preserve them in vinegar or salt water or freeze them lightly salted. These mushrooms make a great salad, with mayonnaise, cream and onions.
Be careful when tasting for identification purposes, and only take a tiny piece. The delayed action effect masks an extremely hot (maybe the hottest) mushroom.