False Saffron Milkcap

Description

The false saffron milkcap is a saffron-milk-cap-like mushroom with a cap 4–10 cm across, reddish-orange, with darker bands, which turns green in older specimens and after frosts. The gills are orange, brittle and turn green when damaged. The latex is orange and after ten-odd minutes becomes wine-red.

It grows from summer to autumn exclusively under spruces, in coniferous and mixed forests, often in young spruce stands. In Poland it is fairly frequent, especially in the mountains.

It is distinguished from the saffron milk cap by its habitat under spruce and the wine-red change of the latex. Pick only young, confidently identified specimens.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 3–12 cm (descriptions give different ranges); young ones arched with an inrolled margin, then flat with a concave centre, funnel-shaped in old ones. Colour reddish-orange, with darker concentric bands, sometimes faintly visible. Cuticle slippery when wet, shiny or frosted in dry weather. Turns green in old specimens and after frosts.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills red-orange (according to some descriptions pale orange to pale ochre), brittle, fairly dense, slightly running down the stem, sometimes forked. Damaged or old ones turn green (according to some descriptions first dark red, then grey-green).

Stem

Height 3–8 cm (descriptions give different ranges), thickness 1–2.5 cm, cylindrical, hard; at first solid, quickly becomes hollow. Red-orange, green-spotted, without distinct pits; often slightly thickened at the base.

Flesh

Cream (according to some descriptions pale yellowish), brittle; coloured orange by the latex, under the cap cuticle sometimes strongly grey-blue; turns green with time when damaged. Smell pleasant, fruity; taste acrid, resinous or bitterish, milder in older specimens. Latex abundant, orange, after about 10–30 minutes becomes wine-red. The flesh of mushrooms you are not sure about must not be tasted.

Spore print and spores

Spore print pale ochre. Spores oval to ellipsoidal, 7.5–10 × 6–8 µm (descriptions give different ranges), with low warts joined by an irregular network (ornament up to 0.5 µm), weakly amyloid in the suprahilar area.

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Mycorrhizal fungus (ectomycorrhiza), traditionally strictly with Norway spruce; according to a 2006 study also arbutoid mycorrhiza with bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). In North America also described under pine, hemlock and fir. Grows on various soils, probably prefers calcareous ones; does not tolerate strongly eutrophic soils. The fruiting bodies are colonised by insect larvae (flies), and are sometimes attacked by the parasitic fungus Hypomyces lateritius.

Distribution. Primarily Europe (especially northern, north-eastern and central), also Asia (Turkey, India, Pakistan). Fairly frequent in Poland, most often in the mountains and foothills. Similar species from the USA and Mexico are not closely related to the European one. Not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. From late June to November, most often from August to October; overwintered specimens occur until February.

What can it be confused with?

• Lactarius deliciosus (saffron milk cap) — More distinct bands on the cap; grows under pines; latex remains orange or reddens after about 30 min; turns green only when damaged.
• Lactarius salmonicolor (salmon milkcap) — Orange latex not changing colour, cap without a trace of green; grows under firs.
• Lactarius porninsis (larch milkcap) — Milk-white latex; grows only under larches.
• Lactarius sanguifluus (Polish: mleczaj czerwieniejący) — Wine-red latex, cap with a touch of green.
• Lactarius semisanguifluus — Very rare; latex changes to wine-red within 5–8 min; cap of older specimens almost entirely greenish; grows under pines.
• Lactarius fennoscandicus — Boreal to subalpine species, most closely related; cap distinctly zoned, brown-orange, sometimes with violet-grey tones; stem pale to dull orange-ochre.

Never rely on a single feature. If you are not sure — do not pick it; show the mushroom to a qualified mushroom expert.

Interesting facts

• Although very common in Central Europe, the species was validly described only in 1968 by Frieder Gröger.
• The name deterrimus (Latin “the worst”) refers to the poorer taste and frequent worminess.
• In 2006 it was shown that it forms mycorrhiza not only with spruce but also with bearberry, which may help to regenerate spruce on deforested land.
• It is often attacked by the parasitic fungus Hypomyces lateritius, which deforms the fruiting body and replaces the gills with white mycelium.