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Lactarius controversus [ Basidiomycetes > Russulales > Russulaceae > Lactarius . . . ] by Michael Kuo This milky cap is easily recognized by its pink gills, its whitish cap with lilac areas, and the unchanging white milk. It has a preference for poplars and willows; I find it under Quaking Aspen in northern Michigan and Colorado. While there are several species of whitish Lactarius, some of which are confusingly similar and hard to identify, Lactarius controversus is the only white-capped species with pink gills. While I doubt Lactarius controversus is poisonous, edibility is not recorded and I don't recommend experimenting. The acrid taste of this species varies between collections, but even relatively mild collections manifest an unpleasant sort of acrid taste--as opposed to the peppery-acrid taste of species like Lactarius deceptivus, which, while strong, is rendered palatable in Scandinavia through a process of multiple boilings and canning. Description: Ecology: Mycorrhizal with species of Populus and Salix; growing alone or gregariously; summer and fall; widely distributed where the host trees occur. Cap: 7-30 cm; convex with an inrolled, somewhat hairy margin, becoming flat with a central depression, or vase-shaped, the margin becoming smooth and even; slimy to sticky when fresh, but soon dry; rugged with appressed fibers; whitish overall; sometimes with faint zones of color, especially near the margin; typically stained purplish or lilac in places. Gills: Attached to the stem or running down it; thin and close; sometimes forking near the stem; pinkish. Stem: 2.5-10 cm long; 1.5-4 cm thick; more or less equal, or tapering to the base; sticky when fresh, but soon dry; usually without pot holes, but occasionally with a few; smooth; eventually becoming hollow; whitish. Flesh: White; unchanging on exposure; fairly firm. Milk: White; unchanging on exposure to air; not staining tissues. Odor and Taste: Odor not distinctive or pleasantly fragrant; taste slowly moderately to strongly acrid. Chemical Reactions: Cap surface negative to pale yellowish with KOH. Spore Print: Creamy white or pale pinkish. Microscopic Features: Spores 6-7.5 x 4.5-5 µ; elliptical; ornamentation with prominences under 0.5 µ high; connecting lines usually forming partial or complete reticula. REFERENCES: Persoon, 1800 (Fries, 1821; Saccardo, 1887; Kauffman, 1918; Hesler & Smith, 1979; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Arora, 1986; Lincoff, 1992; Evenson, 1997; Methven, 1997; Heilmann-Clausen et al., 2006; McNeil, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 09019501, 09130407, 07250606, 08160710. Further Online Information: Lactarius controversus in Hesler & Smith (1979) |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2007, September). Lactarius controversus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_controversus.html |