Lactarius
Sign in to saveLactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing, ectomycorrhizal fungi, containing several edible species. The species of the genus, commonly known as milk-caps, are characterized by the milky fluid ("latex") they exude when cut or damaged. Like the closely related genus Russula, their flesh has a distinctive brittle consistency. It is a large genus with over 500 known species, mainly distributed in the Northern hemisphere. Recently, the genus Lactifluus has been separated from Lactarius based on molecular phylogenetic evidence.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Russulaceae
- Image
- Lactarius sanguifluus 64507.jpg
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- P105
- genus
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Article
16 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy
- Placement within Russulaceae
- Relationships within ''Lactarius''
- Selected species
- Description
- Macromorphology
- Micromorphology
- Species identification
- Distribution and habitat
- Ecology
- Edibility
- Chemistry
- Pharmacology
- See also
- References
- External links
Lactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing, ectomycorrhizal fungi, containing several edible species. The species of the genus, commonly known as milk-caps, are characterized by the milky fluid ("latex") they exude when cut or damaged. Like the closely related genus Russula, their flesh has a distinctive brittle consistency. It is a large genus with over 500 known species, mainly distributed in the Northern hemisphere. Recently, the genus Lactifluus has been separated from Lactarius based on molecular phylogenetic evidence.
==Taxonomy== thumb|Small droplets of "latex" exuding from a damaged species of Lactarius.