Lactarius rufus    (Scop.:Fr.) Fr. 

common name(s) : Rufous Milkcap, Red Milk Cap 

New classification: Basidiomycota/Agaricomycotina/Agaricomycetes/Incertae sedis/Russulales/Russulaceae  
Former classification: Basidiomycota/Homobasidiomycetes/Agaricomycetideae/Russulales/Russulaceae  

synonyms: Lactarius mollis, Lactarius subdulcis-rufus 

edibility : inedible

photo gallery of Lactarius rufus
photo gallery of Lactarius rufus potential confusions with Lactarius rufus toxicity of Lactarius rufus genus Lactarius  

The cap is red-brown, with a central umbo. The cap surface is without concentric bands, not viscid nor sticky.

The stem is red-brown, without ring.

The flesh is white then pale reddish, unchanging; its taste is acrid; the odour is resin-like; its texture is grainy (breaking like a chalk stick), exuding when cut a white milk, unchanging.

The gills are white then ochre-red, adnate to decurrent, crowded . The spore print is white. This species is mycorrhizal. It grows on a rather acid soil, with pine, birch.

The fruiting period takes place from June to December.
Dimensions: width of cap approximately 7 cm (between 2 and 12 cm)
  height of stem approximately 7 cm (between 3 and 12 cm)
  thickness of stem (at largest section) approximately 13 mm (between 5 and 20 mm)

Chemical tests : none.

Distinctive features : brick-red colour; cap with umbo; very hot and unchanging milk; under conifers

Lactarius rufus is infrequent and scattered in the forest of Rambouillet, and is very frequent, more generally speaking .
here should be the distribution map of Lactarius rufus in the forest of Rambouillet
Above : distribution map of Lactarius rufus in the forest of Rambouillet



page updated on 14/01/18