Gerard's Milk Mushroom Lactarius gerardii Peck    
Kingdom Fungi   >   Phylum Basidiomycota   >   Class Agaricomycetes   >   Order Russulales   >   Family Russulaceae   >   Genus Lactarius   

Status:

There are a number of recognized varieties within this species; some distinctions involve color changes of gills and flesh.

Description:

Cap: Brown to tan; slightly sticky when wet, velvety when dry; convex to flat, may be wrinkled, upturned margin with depressed center in age; flesh white; latex white, unchanging. Gills: White to cream; close to distant; attached to decurrent. Stalk: Dark, yellow-brown; dry; velvety (J. Solem, pers. comm.).

Where to find:

On ground, singles or groups, mostly in hardwood forests, occasionally coniferous (J. Solem, pers. comm.).

There are 5 records in the project database.

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A Gerard's Milk Mushroom (fruiting body) in Howard Co., Maryland (8/27/2009). The cut flesh of this specimen slowly stained a pale pinky-orange (may represent L. gerardii var. subrubescens). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

A Gerard's Milk Mushroom (gills, latex, and interior of upper stalk) in Howard Co., Maryland (8/27/2009). The cut flesh of this specimen slowly stained a pale pinky-orange (may represent L. gerardii var. subrubescens). Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

A Gerard's Milk Mushroom (aging fruiting body cap) in Howard Co., Maryland (7/2/2016). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

A Gerard's Milk Mushroom (fruiting body removed from substrate) in Howard Co., Maryland (7/2/2016). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Gerard's Milk Mushrooms (gills and caps of old fruiting bodies) in Howard Co., Maryland (7/3/2016). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Gerard's Milk Mushroom spores collected in Howard Co., Maryland (7/2/2016). Nearly round, warts and ridges, hyaline; measured 6.8-7.8 X 6.7-7.6 microns. Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)


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