Lactarius subvellereus Pk. Cap 7-15cm across, convex with a depressed center and strongly inrolled margin, then expanded, flattened; white, then slowly developing yellowish or ochre-brown stains; densely woolly, almost like suede or kid leather. Gills adnate to subdecurrent, narrow, very crowded, often forked; pale yellowish cream bruising brown. Stem 15-50 x 12-25mm, tapered at base; concolorous with cap; tomentose or even downy. Flesh very firm; white to slightly yellowish. Latex white, but in the collection shown turning slowly green on a glass slide overnight (see Comment), copious. Taste hot. Spores ellipsoid, 7-8(9) x 5.5-6.5(7)µ; ornamented with fine, rather small warts less than 0.5µ in height connected by very faint lines. Deposit pale cream. Habitat in mixed woodlands. Of uncertain distribution but recorded in northeastern North America to Alabama. Season July-September. Not edible and possibly suspect. Comment This collection agreed well with most concepts of the species except for the greening milk. |