Fleecy Milkcap / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Inedible
Through this Fleecy Milkcap (Lactifluus vellereus) Identification Guide, we’ll look at the keys to correctly identifying this species.
Scientific Name
Lactifluus vellereus
Family
Russulaceae
Habitat
In deciduous woods, late summer to early winter.
Description
A large pale mushroom which exudes large quantities of white milk.
Identifying Features:
Cap:
White to off white, initially convex but becoming funnel shaped as it matures and covered in tiny white hairs. Large cap, 10-25com across. Can look quite different when young until becomes more funnel shaped.
Stem
Same colour as the cap, short and fat, up to 12cm, solid and covered in tiny hairs.
Gills
White decurrent gills. They can discolour brown where damaged and the milk has dried. Will produce a lot of white milk when damaged.
Smell
No obvious smell but the latex is mild in flavour and the flesh tastes acrid.
Spores
White spore print. Spores are ellipsoid with warts joined by tiny ridges into an incomplete network.
Known Hazards
Inedible, tastes very acrid.
Potential lookalikes
Could possibly be confused with the Giant Funnel or the Trooping Funnel but neither of these produce any milk.
The Peppery Milkcap looks similar but is smaller and has very hot milk in comparison to the Fleecy Milkcap which has mild tasting milk.