Fenugreek milkcap

Description

The fenugreek milkcap is a sizeable mushroom with a cap 5–15 cm across, matt, velvety, in ochre-pink, buff or orange shades, funnel-shaped when mature. It has crowded, decurrent gills, at first whitish-yellow and then ochre-yellow, and a cylindrical, hollow stem. It exudes hardly any milk, and what there is, is watery and colourless.

It is easiest to recognise by its smell, which resembles lovage, chicory, fenugreek or Maggi seasoning. It grows from June to October in deciduous and coniferous forests, on acidic soils, often on bogs among sphagnum. In Poland it is common.

Raw or poorly prepared it causes gastrointestinal complaints, so it is regarded as poisonous. Dried and ground, it is sometimes used in small amounts as a seasoning, but we do not recommend this without the supervision of a specialist.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 5–15 cm (4–15 cm according to some descriptions); at first flat-convex, then flat with a broad depression, and finally funnel-shaped, sometimes with a low small umbo. Margin inrolled, flattening slowly and incompletely. Surface dry, matt, velvety, in older specimens granular or cracked into small areas; the skin cannot be peeled. Colour uniform, in dry weather ochre-pink or buff-pink, sometimes with a violet tint, in wet weather with a rusty or orange tint; according to some descriptions weakly zoned, margin paler.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills crowded, with short gills between, sometimes forked at the stem and forming anastomoses, decurrent; sharp at the margin and stem. At first whitish-yellow, then ochre-yellow with a lemon or grey tint.

Stem

Height 4–13 cm (3–9 cm according to some descriptions), thickness 0.5–4 cm (1–2 cm according to some descriptions), cylindrical, at first solid, then hollow. Surface smooth, sometimes woolly, granular-shaggy at the top. Colour slightly paler than the cap: red-ochre or yellow-reddish; may be spotted orange-brown. No ring.

Flesh

Fairly thick, slightly brittle, ochre-reddish, often with a pink tint; sometimes with a narrow watery streak above the gills. Smell characteristic, resembling chicory, lovage, fenugreek or Maggi seasoning (the smell is due to sotolon). Taste mild, spicy. Milk flows only weakly (not at all in older specimens), is almost watery and colourless, mild in taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Do not taste it.

Spore print and spores

Spore print cream. Spores oval, with small warts joined by a net of fine connectors; 6.5–9 × 7–9 µm.

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Terrestrial mycorrhizal fungus; grows in deciduous and coniferous forests (spruce, pine, birch, rarely beech), on acidic soils, on bogs and among sphagnum.

Distribution. North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand (the North American variety formerly described as L. aquifluus is disputed). Widespread in Europe; in Poland common, in the Tatras up to 1200 m above sea level. Not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. From June to October (late summer and autumn according to some descriptions).

What can it be confused with?

• Lactifluus volemus (weeping milkcap) — Sometimes confused with the fenugreek milkcap; detailed differences: no data.
• Lactarius camphoratus (curry milkcap) — Has a similar smell; detailed differences: no data.
• Lactarius quietus var. incanus — Darker and more reddish, young specimens have an opaque white milk, not watery and colourless like L. helvus.

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

• In October 1949 near Leipzig in Germany 418 people were poisoned by it.
• Its smell is due to sotolon, which is also found in fenugreek, lovage, maple syrup and molasses.
• The German name Maggipilz refers to the smell of Maggi seasoning.
• In Quebec the North American variety associated with it, with the smell of maple syrup, is sometimes dried as a seasoning.