Lactarius areolatus

Appearance

Cap: 2-7 cm; convex to bell-shaped, quickly becoming flattened or centrally depressed; moist or dry; bald at first, but soon becoming roughened-scurfy and wrinkled; dark reddish brown to orangish brown when very fresh and young, becoming burnt orange to pinkish brown or orangish brown; the margin becoming lined and/or scalloped.

Gills: Beginning to run down the stem; close or nearly distant; creamy to pale yellowish at first, developing cinnamon spots and eventually discoloring cinnamon; not staining from the milk.

Stem: 2-9 cm long; up to about 1 cm thick; more or less equal; bald; without potholes; colored like the cap, or paler; hollow; dry.

Flesh: Pale orangish to pale cinnamon; brittle; not staining when sliced.

Milk: Watery to whey-like; not staining tissues; not staining white paper.

Odor and Taste: Odor not distinctive--or slightly to strongly fragrant (even a little reminiscent of Lactarius camphoratus); taste mild.

Spore Print: Pale yellowish.

Chemical Reactions: Cap surface olive with KOH.

Distribution

Eastern United States

Habitat

Mycorrhizal with oaks and with hornbeam; growing scattered or gregariously