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Ugly Milkcap
Lactarius plumbeus
-37.8756, 145.347
Field Notes
Description:
This Milkcap mushroom is truly unattractive. Its cap has an olive-brown colour to start with and darkens with age to almost black. Cap margins are in-rolled with a depression in the centre. They then widen to become flat. Pic 1 shows the mature mushroom with a cap about 223 mm wide ( 8").
Gills are pale with milky droplets that turn brown with age. Stipe is pale with brown blotches.
Spore print was taken ( photo not included) -it was cream with a pale pink tinge.
Habitat:
Spotted under non-native trees in garden within a reserve.
This mushroom is native to Europe and Siberia. It was introduced into Australia and New Zealand.
Notes:
The milky droplets are acrid and hot to taste. They contain a mutagen which is only slightly reduced in concentration by boiling. They are eaten in Russia pickled in salt.
Also called Lactarius turpis, where "turpis" in Latin means "ugly". "plumbeus" means "lead-coloured"
Family: Russulaceae
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