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Lactarius camphoratus [ Basidiomycetes > Russulales > Russulaceae > Lactarius . . . ] by Michael Kuo I have just pulled out several dried specimens of Lactarius camphoratus, collected years ago, in order to study them--and I am wondering whether their fragrant odor will ever cease permeating my house. The odor, which is fortunately not unpleasant, has been variously described over the years. Elias Fries, who gave the species its name, obviously thought the odor of camphor was similar; other authors have used comparisons to the bark of slippery elms, maple syrup, burned sugar, and curry. Whatever it smells like to you, however, you will have no trouble detecting it. I have noticed a similar (but weaker) odor that develops in some dried specimens of morels. Other milky caps with a similar odor include the West Coast's Lactarius rubidus and the eastern Lactarius fragilis--as well as several species that combine the odor with a strongly acrid taste and are therefore less likely to cause confusion. Geography alone will separate Lactarius rubidus, but a microscope may be required to separate Lactarius camphoratus from Lactarius fragilis. Theoretically, the latter has yellower gills and a cap that is less often "papillate" (Mycologese for "with a pointy central bump"), but its completely (rather than partially) reticulate, rounder spores are definitive. Lactarius camphoratus is edible, but should probably only be tried by experienced mushroomers, since it is not easy to identify. The odor alone does not identify it; in fact, the mushroom in my herbarium that emits this odor most flagrantly is this one, in many ways a dead ringer for Lactarius camphoratus or Lactarius fragilis--but not a Lactarius at all, and quite possibly a potentially deadly Galerina. Description: Ecology: Mycorrhizal with conifers or hardwoods; growing alone, scattered, or gregariously, often in moss; summer and fall; widely distributed in eastern North America. Cap: 1-4 cm; convex, becoming broadly convex or centrally depressed, usually with a sharp central point ("papillate"); moist or dry; smooth or very finely dusted; dark reddish brown, sometimes fading to rusty brown. Gills: Attached to the stem or running slightly down it; close or crowded; whitish to pale pinkish, developing reddish tones with maturity but not staining from the milk. Stem: 1.5-6 cm long; up to about 1 cm thick; more or less equal; smooth or with hairs near the base; without pot-holes; colored like the cap, or paler, especially toward the apex. Flesh: Pale cinnamon to whitish; brittle and hard; not staining when sliced. Milk: Milky white when young and fresh, but often whey-like or watery by maturity; not staining tissues. Odor and Taste: Odor like maple syrup or burned sugar (etc.), becoming stronger when the mushroom is dried; taste mild or slightly bitter. Spore Print: Pale yellow or whitish. Chemical Reactions: Cap surface olive with KOH. Microscopic Features: Spores 7-8.5 x 6-7.5 µ; broadly elliptical or nearly round; ornamentation with prominences 0.5-1.0 µ high; connectors present but forming scattered lines or, at most, a broken reticulum. REFERENCES: (Bulliard, 1793) Fries, 1838. (Saccardo, 1887; Coker, 1918; Kauffman, 1918; Hesler & Smith, 1979; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Heilmann-Clausen et al., 1998; Roody, 2003; McNeil, 2006, Miller & Miller, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 06050301, 06010405. Further Online Information: Lactarius camphoratus in Hesler & Smith (1979) |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2007, September). Lactarius camphoratus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_camphoratus.html |