Lactarius pallidus

Lactarius pallidus is found in deciduous woodland, mainly under beech trees. It has a very slimy cap when wet, drying to a smooth gloss. The pale, flesh-coloured cap has a fruity scent.

Some authorities suggest that this milk cap is edible if well cooked; others record it as inedible. In view of the greater abundance of so many superior mushrooms, it does not seem worth the risk.

Although an infrequent find, where this pale milk cap does occur it is often in sizeable groups.

A surprising feature of the Pallid Milk Cap is that even for caps of the same size the stems are very much more variable in diameter than those of most other milk caps.

Cap	4 to 10 cm in diameter, convex and then depressed, the cap is pale buff with a rosy, flesh-coloured tint, sometimes with indistinct circular zoning near the rim. The surface of the cap is smooth; it is slimy in wet weather and usually remains sticky but with a glossy shine during dry spells.
Gills	Shortly decurrent and fairly crowded, the gills are pale rosy buff or pale ochre and occasionally, but not always, blotchy. This milk cap releases copious amounts of white latex that is usually, but not always, quite mild tasting.
Stipe	1 to 2.5 cm in diameter and 3 to 8 cm long, the stem is more or less cylindrical or tapering in slightly at the base. The stem surface is smooth and paler than the cap; it tends to become hollow with age.
Spore print	Pale ochre.
Odour/taste	Slight fruity smell; the milk (latex) usually has a mild taste.
Habitat	Deciduous woodland, mainly under beech trees.
Season	August to October.
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Lactarius musteus is a similar but much rarer milk cap; its stem is pitted, it leaves a pale cream spore print, and it occurs under pine trees.

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Lactarius pallidus

Cap

Gills

Stipe

Spore print

Odour/taste

Habitat

Season

Occurrence

Similar species