Fleecy milk-cap

Description

The fleecy milk-cap is a large, firm, white mushroom with a cap 10–25 cm across, matt and white to pale ochre. When young the cap is shallowly convex with an inrolled margin; older caps are depressed and funnel-shaped. The gills are distant, thick, white, later ochre-yellow, and run down a short, stout stem. When broken, the flesh is crumbly and exudes abundant white milk that slowly turns yellow.

It grows from August to November, often until the first frosts, on the ground in deciduous and mixed forests, most often under oaks and beeches. It usually occurs in groups and is common in Poland.

It is told apart from the peppery milk-cap (Lactifluus piperatus) by its more distant, thicker gills, and from Lactifluus glaucescens by its milk, which is not blue-green. The milk-white brittlegill (Russula delica) exudes no milk at all. The mushroom is inedible, so take care if you might be confusing it with other white milk-caps and brittlegills.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 10–25 cm (descriptions give up to 30 cm). Young cap shallowly convex with an inrolled margin, with age depressed in the centre, finally funnel-shaped with a sharp edge. Firm and thick-fleshed. Surface matt, white to pale ochre or cream; thick-walled hairs occur at the top of the cap.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills fairly distant, thick and narrow, at first white, later ochre-yellow, decurrent on the stem (especially in older specimens); they may have brown specks from dried milk.

Stem

Cylindrical, solid, short and stout, up to about 6 cm tall, shorter than the width of the fruiting body. At first felty, later smooth; same colour as the cap. No ring.

Flesh

Thick, firm, creamy yellowish when cut, crumbly, with an irregular break (made of roundish cells, typical of the Russulaceae). It exudes white milk, which at first flows abundantly and slowly turns yellow in air. The taste of the milk is described as mild or slightly bitter, and when in contact with the flesh as hot. Do not taste the flesh.

Spore print and spores

Spore print white to whitish. Spores nearly spherical, 7.5–9.5 × 6.5–8.5 µm, with a surface bearing fine warts connected by a network with large, incomplete meshes.

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. A mycorrhizal fungus growing on the ground in deciduous and mixed forests, most often with oaks and beeches. It is one of the two most common milk-caps found under beech. Fruiting bodies usually occur in groups.

Distribution. Europe, North and Central America, and Asia. Common in Poland, in places very abundant. It is not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. From August to mid-November, sometimes until the first frosts and snow.

What can it be confused with?

• Lactifluus piperatus (peppery milk-cap) — Gills thin and crowded, milk white and only weakly acrid.
• Lactifluus glaucescens (Polish: "mleczajowiec zieleniejący") — Milk blue-green.
• Russula delica (milk-white brittlegill) — No milk.
• Lactifluus bertillonii — Very similar and closely related, but with hotter milk.
• Lactarius controversus (poplar milk-cap) — Distantly related; according to descriptions it is distinguished by rosy markings on the upper cap, which L. vellereus lacks.

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

• The epithet vellereus comes from Latin and alludes to fleece (vellus), the felty, downy surface of the fruiting body; hence the English name "fleecy milk-cap".
• Elias Fries described the species in 1821 as Agaricus vellereus; it was moved to the genus Lactifluus only by Otto Kuntze in 1891.
• The Polish name "mleczajowiec chrząstka" was recommended in 2021 after the species was moved from the genus Lactarius to Lactifluus.
• Many regional names (chrząszcz, gniewosz, hrózd, świniara) show that the mushroom was well known, even though it was usually not collected.