Species details
Ugly milkcap
Lactarius turpis
Poisonous
Photo: Tomas Čekanavičius · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo source · License
Description
An olive-brown to almost black milkcap with a sticky cap and frequent dark staining.
Identification features
Latex is white and damaged gills stain dirty brown; consumption is not recommended.
Identification checklist
Check the entire fruitbody for identification. An olive-brown to almost black milkcap with a sticky cap and frequent dark staining. Latex is white and damaged gills stain dirty brown; consumption is not recommended. Typical habitat: Damp woodland, especially with birch and spruce on acidic soils.
How to separate similar species
Compare especially with these similar species: Lactarius quietus, Lactarius vellereus. Check the combination of cap shape and colour, spore-bearing surface, stem, flesh changes and habitat. A single feature or photograph is not enough; if the key characters do not match the description, do not treat the identification as confirmed.
Habitat
Damp woodland, especially with birch and spruce on acidic soils.
Fruiting period
July, August, September, October, November