Lactarius glyciosmus

Lactarius glyciosmus, commonly known as the coconut scented milk cap,[2] is a semi-edible mushroom in the genus Lactarius. Mycorrhizal, it can be found growing in soil at the base of birch trees in Europe. It is typically coloured a greyish lilac, with the sometimes hollow stem a little lighter coloured than the cap. It has crowded, decurrent gills, and smells strongly of coconuts.

Lactarius glyciosmus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Russulales
Family: Russulaceae
Genus: Lactarius
Species:
L. glyciosmus
Binomial name
Lactarius glyciosmus
(Fr. ex Fr.) Fr. (1838)
Synonyms[1]

Agaricus glyciosmus Fr. (1818)
Galorrheus glyciosmus (Fr.) P.Kumm. (1871)
Lactifluus glyciosmus (Fr.) Kuntze (1891)

Lactarius glyciosmus
View the Mycomorphbox template that generates the following list
Gills on hymenium
Cap is convex
Hymenium is decurrent
Stipe is bare
Spore print is cream
Ecology is mycorrhizal
Edibility is edible

Taxonomy

Lactarius glyciosmus was initially described by the Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries as Agaricus glyciosmus in 1818. Its specific name is derived from the Ancient Greek words glukos "sugar(y)", and osmos "smell".

Description

Lactarius glyciosmus is a small to medium-sized agaric,[2] which typically has a convex cap measuring between 2 and 5.5 centimetres, with a small central depression developing with age. Sometimes there is a central pimple, and the cap is typically coloured a greyish lilac, sometimes varying to a pale buff. It is thin fleshed, with an incurved margin in younger specimens. The stem measures between 25 and 65 millimetres in height, with a width between 4 and 12 millimetres. The cylindrical stem is typically widest at the bottom becoming narrower towards the top, or sometimes club shaped. The stem is concolorous with the cap, but sometimes is a little paler or with a yellowish hue. The stem is particularly soft and easily broken, and can become hollow. The flesh is buff. The gills are decurrent and crowded, and vary in colour from a pale yellowish to a pale flesh, turning to a greyish lilac with age. The milk is white with an initially mild, later hot and acrid taste.[3] The mushroom has a strong smell of coconuts.[2]

The spore print is a creamy white colour, and the spores themselves are broadly elliptic in shape, and covered with small warts. The warts are connected by thin ridges in an incomplete network.[3] The spores measure between 8 and 9 by between 5 and 6 micrometres.[4]

Similar species

It is similar to L. vietus, the grey milk cap, but is differentiated by the fact L. vietus milk dries grey, while L. glyciosmus milk dries white.[4] It can also be confused with L. cocosiolens, which also smells of coconuts, but L. cocosiolens has a slimy brown or orange cap and is not found among birch.[5]

Natural products
Six chemical structure formulae, each having a six-atom carbon ring in the middle.
Sesquiterpenes isolated from Lactarius glyciosmus.

Different compounds, including several sesquiterpenes, have been isolated from L. glyciosmus.[6]

Edibility

Lactarius glyciosmus is considered edible,[2][3] but is not recommended to the extent that some mycologists consider it inedible.[4] This species is sold in rural markets in Yunnan Province, China.[7]

Distribution and habitat

Lactarius glyciosmus is a common mushroom and is found under broad-leaved trees, particularly birch—often inside of sphagnum moss.[8] It can be found between late summer and autumn.[3] It grows in soil individually or in scattered groups.[2] It can be found in North America and Europe,[9] New Zealand,[10] Svalbard,[11] Japan,[12] and China.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Lactarius glyciosmus (Fr.) Fr. 1838". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
  2. Jordan, Michael (2004). The Encyclopedia of Fungi of Britain and Europe. Frances Lincoln. p. 304. ISBN 978-0-7112-2379-0.
  3. Phillips, Roger (1981). Mushrooms and other fungi of Britain and Europe. Pan Books. p. 85. ISBN 0-330-26441-9.
  4. Pegler, David M. (1983). Mushrooms and Toadstools. Mitchell Beazley. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-85533-500-7.
  5. Kuo, Michael. "Lactarius glyciosmus". MushroomExpert.com. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  6. Vitari G, Vita-Finzi P. (1995). "Sesquiterpenes and other secondary metabolites of genus Lactarius (Basidiomycetes): Chemistry and biological activity". Studies in Natural Products Chemistry. Structure and Chemistry (Part D). Vol. 17. Elsevier Science. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-08-054198-3.
  7. Wang, X-H. (2000). "A taxonomic study on some commercial species in the genus Lactarius (Agaricales) from Yunnan Province, China". Acta Botanica Yunnanica 22(4): 419-427.
  8. Trudell, Steve; Ammirati, Joe (2009). Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. Timber Press Field Guides. Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-88192-935-5.
  9. Phillips, Roger. "Lactarius glyciosmus". RogersMushrooms. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  10. McNab, RFR. (1971). "The Russulaceae of New Zealand Part I. Lactarius". New Zealand Journal of Botany 9(1): 46-66.
  11. Ohenoja E. (1971). The larger fungi of Svalbard and their ecology. Annales Universitatis Turkuensis Series A II Biologica-Geographica-Geologica 47: 122-147.
  12. Murata, Y. (1978). "New records of gill fungi from Hokkaido Japan Part 2". Nippon Kingakukai Kaiho 19(3): 249-254.
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