View A43-1112-1979-eng.pdf

EDIBLE AND POISONOUS MUSHROOMS OF CANADA
LACTARIUS CONTROVERSUS (Pers. ex Fr.) Fr. Not recommended
Figure 59, page 27
PILEUS 3-8 in. broad, umbilicate, becoming depressed and then infundi-
buliform, whitish or flesh colored, stained with brownish or flesh- colored
spots, indistinctly zoned toward the margin, viscid, slightly tomentose, margin
at first inrolled, then elevated, flesh firm, white or slightly flesh colored.
LATEX white, unchanging, slowly acrid, lamellae shghtly decurrent, crowded,
narrow, whitish to pink flesh colored, stipe l-U/^ in. long, J4-1 in. thick,
equal or tapering slightly toward the base, shghtly floccose-pubescent, white
or slightly stained, soHd, sometimes excentric. spores nearly white or shghtly
flesh tinted, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, 5-7.5 X 4-5.5 m, ornamented
with a few heavy bands forming a partial reticulum, and some separate warts.
In groups in moist woods, associated with aspens. Aug.-Oct.
This is a very large species with flesh colored lamellae and brownish to
pinkish stains on the pileus. The spots on the pileus are sometimes not very
conspicuous, but the pink lamellae are a distinctive feature. The edible quali-
ties of this fungus are not known but it is not recommended because of the
acrid latex.
LACTARIUS DECEPTIVUS Peck Doubtful
Figure 67, page 28
PILEUS 2-6 in. broad, firm, at first convex-umbilicate and becoming
expanded-depressed to subinfundibuliform, white or with rusty stains, dry,
not zoned, glabrous except the margin which is covered by a cottony roll of
tomentum and more or less inrolled, finally more or less elevated, flesh white,
rather thick, firm, latex white, unchanging, acrid, lamellae adnate to shghtly
decurrent, close to subdistant, rather broad, some forked, white or creamy
yellow. STIPE 1-3 in. long, %-l Yz in. thick, stout, equal, pubescent to tomentose,
white, sohd. spores white, broadly eUipsoid to subglobose, 9-12 (14) X
7-9 (10) M, ornamented with low to medium, separate, scattered warts.
It grows singly or in groups on the ground in woods, usually at the edges
of bogs and on boggy ground. July-Sept.
The most striking feature of this mushroom is the cottony roll on the
margin. This will distinguish it from L. vellereus, which it closely resembles.
Mature specimens in which the cottony roll on the margin has largely dis-
appeared are easily confused with L. vellereus. The larger spores of L. decep-
tivus will distinguish them. Specimens in which the latex is scanty or not
evident might be confused with Russula delica.
It is said that the acrid taste disappears on cooking and that it is edible,
but there is danger of confusing mature specimens with L. vellereus, which
has been reported poisonous.
42