Lactarius chrysorrheus - Yellowdrop Milkcap

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Russulales

This small milkcap is mycorrhizal almost exclusively with one genus of trees: Quercus (oaks). The cap blends in well with a background of dry leaves, but its white milk dries bright sulphur yellow on any damaged gills, and these spots of colour are the tell-tale signs to look for, especially on sunny days.

Despite its attractive appearance, the Yellowdrop Milkcap is known to be poisonous, even when cooked thoroughly. This is a great pity because it is one of the few millkcaps that occurs in great abundance.

Note: In some field guides the specific epithet is spelt chrysorheus (with just one ‘r’ before the second 'h' ).

Identification Guide

Cap	Salmon pink with rings of darker watery blotches or bands; convex, becoming shallowly funnel-shaped; 3 to 8cm across.
Gills	Orange-buff; adnate or slightly decurrent; crowded; when cut releasing a latex that is Initially white but quickly turns sulphur yellow when exposed to air;
Stem	Cream or buff, pinker towards base; cylindrical with a slightly swollen base; 3 to 8cm long, 0.9 to 2cm dia.
Spore print	Creamy white with a salmon pink tinge.
Odour/taste	Initially tasting mild then rapidly becoming bitter and hot.
Habitat	Mainly in pine forests, but very occasionally this little milkcap is also found in broadleaf woodland.
Season	August to November.
Occurrence	Widespread in oak woodland on acid soils, where it usually fruits in vast numbers.
Similar species	Lactarius quietus is of similar size and also occurs under oaks, but its latex is creamy white.