Lactarius rubrilacteus
N. Amer. Sp. of Lactarius, p. 76. 1979.
Common Name: none
Misapplied name: Lactarius sanguifluus
Cap 5.0-12 cm broad, convex, margin inrolled when young, becoming plano-convex to shallowly infundibuliform in age; surface viscid when moist, banded concentrically with shades of orange; often developing green discolorations in age; flesh thick, brittle, bleeding a sparse, dark red latex when cut; taste and odor mild.
Gills decurrent, narrow, close to crowded, dull orange, bleeding a dark red latex.
Stipe 2-5 cm tall, 1.0-2.5 cm thick, solid and brittle when young, hollow in age, equal to tapered at the base; surface smooth, unpolished, dull orange-buff, bruising green where handled.
Spores 7-9 x 6-7.5 µm, ovoid with amyloid reticulations; spore print pale yellow.
Scattered to gregarious under Douglas fir; fruiting from late fall to mid-winter.
Edible.
Lactarius rubrilacteus closely resembles L. deliciosus. Both species have orange to orange-red zoned, shallowly, infundibulate caps and tend to develop green discolorations in age, but Lactarius rubrilacteus has a dark reddish rather than carrot-orange latex. In addition, Lactarius rubrilacteus is associated with Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) while L. deliciosus is found with pines (Pinus).
Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
Methven, A.S. (1997). The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 10. Russulaceae II. Lactarius. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 79 p.
Methven, A.S. (1998). Lactarius in California and Beyond: Introduction to Subgenera and Species of Lactarius in California. Privately Published: Charleston, IL. 22 p. (PDF)
Hesler, L.R. & Smith, A.H. (1979). North American Species of Lactarius. University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, MI. 841 p. (PDF)
Nuytinck, J., Miller, S.L. & Verbeken, A. (2006). A taxonomical treatment of the North and Central American species in Lactarius sect. Deliciosi. Mycotaxon 96: 261-307.
Nuytinck, J., Verbeken, A. & Miller, S.L. (2007). Worldwide phylogeny of Lactarius section Deliciosi inferred from ITS and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene sequences. Mycologia 99(6): 820-832.
Siegel, N. & Schwarz, C. (2016). Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p.
