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The orange milkweed belongs to the Russula family, the genus Milky. The Latin name is lactarius porninsis, which means “milk-giving”, “milk”. This mushroom was so nicknamed because its pulp contains vessels with milky juice, which flows out when damaged. Below is more detailed information about the orange milkweed: a description of its appearance, where and how it grows, and whether this specimen can be eaten.
Where does the orange milkweed grow?
This species tends to grow in coniferous and mixed forests; it prefers to form mycorrhiza with spruce, less often with deciduous trees, for example, birch or oak. Also, quite often the orange milkweed can be found deeply buried in the moss litter. Orange milkweed (Lactarius porninsis) can grow either singly or in small groups.The optimal time for growth is the period from July to October. Most often appears in Eurasian countries with a temperate climate.
What does the orange milky look like?
When damaged, this specimen releases white juice.
The photo shows that the fruiting body of the orange milkweed consists of a cap and a stalk. At the initial stage of maturation, the cap is convex with a noticeable central tubercle, gradually acquires a prostrate shape, and towards old age it becomes depressed. In some cases it is funnel-shaped. Throughout the entire period, the cap does not reach large sizes; as a rule, it varies from 3 to 6 cm. The surface is smooth and dry, and becomes slippery during heavy rains. It is painted in a characteristic orange color with a darker center. There are no concentric zones. On the lower side of the cap there are descending, mid-frequency plates. In young specimens they are pale cream in color, and with age they acquire darker shades. Spore powder is light ocher in color.
The pulp is thin, brittle, fibrous, yellowish in color. It emits a slightly perceptible aroma, reminiscent of the smell of orange peels. It is this feature that makes this species distinguishable from its relatives. This specimen secretes a whitish milky sap that does not change color in air. This liquid is very thick, sticky and caustic. During the dry season, the juice dries out in mature specimens and may be completely absent.
The leg of the orange milkweed is smooth, cylindrical, tapering downwards. It reaches a height of 3 to 5 cm, and a thickness of 5 mm in diameter. The color of the stem matches the color of the cap, in some cases a little lighter. In young specimens it is solid, but with age it becomes hollow and cellular.
Most often lives in coniferous and mixed forests
Is it possible to eat the orange lacticaria mushroom?
Expert opinions on the edibility of this species vary somewhat. Thus, some reference books provide information that the orange milkweed is an edible mushroom, but most sources confidently classify it as inedible, and some mycologists even consider this species to be mildly poisonous.
How to distinguish from doubles
The fruiting body of the orange milkweed exudes a faint citrus aroma
The forest contains a huge variety of mushrooms, which in one way or another may be similar to the species in question. It is worth remembering that not every specimen is edible. The orange milkweed has common external characteristics with many inedible and even poisonous relatives from the genus Milky, and therefore the mushroom picker should be especially vigilant. You can distinguish this mushroom from its counterparts by the following characteristic features:
- small-sized caps of orange color;
- subtle orange aroma of the pulp;
- milky juice has a rather pungent taste;
- the cap is smooth, without pubescence.
Conclusion
The orange milkweed is a rather rare specimen, the pulp of which exudes a slightly perceptible orange aroma. In Europe, most specimens of this genus are considered inedible or even poisonous. In our country, some of them are edible, but are consumed after careful processing in pickled or salted form. Active fruiting of this species begins in July and ends around October.During this period, other forest products also grow, the edibility of which is not questioned. This mushroom has no nutritional value; eating it can cause food poisoning. That is why the orange milkweed remains unnoticed by mushroom pickers.
