Kingdom Fungi Higher classification Russulaceae | Division Basidiomycota Rank Genus | |
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Lower classifications Lactifluus volemus, Lactifluus piperatus, Lactifluus vellereus | ||
Lactifluus volemus milk cap
Lactifluus is a genus of mushroom-producing fungi. It is one of three genera containing species commonly named milk-caps, the others being Lactarius and Multifurca. It has been separated from Lactarius based on molecular phylogenetic evidence and is very similar to that genus. Lactifluus species have a mainly tropical distribution, but are also found in the north temperate zone as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Contents
- Lactifluus volemus milk cap
- Tirmit mantar lactarius lactifluus volemus
- Systematics and taxonomy
- Description
- Edibility
- North temperate zone
- Tropical regions
- Australasia
- References
Tirmit mantar lactarius lactifluus volemus
Systematics and taxonomy
The genus Lactifluus was described in 1806 by French naturalist Henri François Anne de Roussel, with the type species Lactifluus piperatus. Later, Lactifluus was largely considered a synonym of Lactarius, until molecular phylogenetic work showed in 2008 that Lactarius was not a monophyletic group. In the following, the name Lactarius was conserved for the biggest of the subclades revealed, containing most well-known north temperate species. Thus, the name Lactifluus could be used for the smaller genus, necessitating only a few name changes, as combinations with Lactifluus had already been made previously for many temperate species. New combinations have since been proposed for several species formerly classified in Lactarius.
Description
Lactifluus closely resembles its lookalike genus Lactarius, with whom it shares the brittle flesh of the fruit bodies and the milk-like latex exuded when bruised. So far, synapomorphic characters for the genus have not been discovered, there are only tendencies that distinguish it from Lactarius. Pleurotoid (laterally stiped) fruitbodies are only known in Lactifluus, while species with closed (angiocarpous) fruitbodies only occur in Lactarius. Microscopically, thick-walled elements in the pileipellis and stipitipellis (cuticle of the stipe) and sphaerocytes in the trama of the lamellae are common in Lactifluus, but rare in Lactarius species.
Edibility
Several species in the genus are edible. Lactifluus volemus especially is a choice mushroom in the northern temperate region.