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PantsR4squares
Adventurer


Registered: 11/02/13
Posts: 170
Loc: In the woods
Last seen: 3 days, 10 hours
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Lactarius rufus?
#28579332 - 12/11/23 09:43 PM (1 month, 16 days ago) |
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I was thinking these were candy caps but they seem more red and have a viscid cap when wet. They secreet pale white milk.
What confused me is the bag I collected them in smells like maple syrup.
Can Lactarius rufus ( if this is that ) or other lactarius smell like maple syrup?
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CHUCK.HNTR
feral urbanite



Registered: 09/30/19
Posts: 2,255
Loc: SF, CA, USA
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Not any candy cap variety Will try for a better ID later if no one else chimes in. IMO many fresh lactarius smell similar but no candy caps have pale white milk. You want thin watery “skim milk”
-------------------- "What is the practical application of a million universes?" -Alan Watts
   
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Anglerfish
hearing things



Registered: 09/08/10
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Seems like a mixed forest, what kind of trees were close?
Does the milk turn yellowish? Is this a west coast US find?
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PantsR4squares
Adventurer


Registered: 11/02/13
Posts: 170
Loc: In the woods
Last seen: 3 days, 10 hours
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Mixed forest with stands of coniferous. I was in a coniferous section with hazelnut around. Growing in moss. I am in western Washington.
I didn't see any changing to yellow. But I didn't look after many hours. If it did was probably Lactarius substriatus?
Not a big deal about identification. Was more curious about if the other species could smell like candy capa. Good to know that is true.
Thanks!
Edited by PantsR4squares (12/12/23 02:47 AM)
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PantsR4squares
Adventurer


Registered: 11/02/13
Posts: 170
Loc: In the woods
Last seen: 3 days, 10 hours
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I was walking some different trails today and could smell sweetness. So looked under a fern and found more of these lac spp. These ones were much more orange.
I cut them and waited some time and the lactate does seem to turn yellow.
Is there someone from the pnw that knows if these grow in the same habitat as candy caps. I've search 4 different coniferous areas at did elevations and all I am finding as these.
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Pluviophile
Stranger


Registered: 10/26/17
Posts: 3,092
Loc: Massachusetts
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Did you taste the milk at all?
Lactarius rufus would likely taste quite acrid or even hot after a minute or two.
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Magic Badger
Discoverer of Curiosities



Registered: 04/14/17
Posts: 818
Loc: PNW
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I've found actual candy caps a couple of times - each time they've been very small, lighter orange in color and not at all fragrant until they were dry. After they were dry they didn't just smell a little sweet... they did not just smell a little like maple syrup... they smelled like a whole pancake factory.. The jacket pocket I stuck them in, thereafter emitted a strong odor of maple every time it was opened for years. Seriously. I can confirm that this mushroom was indeed a candy cap.
-------------------- Disclaimer - I'm just a hobbyist and cannot absolutely guarantee any ID offered. I'm most familiar with the species found in the Pacific Northwest - those found in other parts of the world may vary considerably, so always do your own research to find out what grows in your area and what lookalikes you need to be aware of. Understand that many mushroom species cannot be 100% reliably identified by photographs alone, even by an expert, so it may not be possible to go beyond suggesting a probable genus.
Edited by Magic Badger (12/12/23 05:33 PM)
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Pluviophile
Stranger


Registered: 10/26/17
Posts: 3,092
Loc: Massachusetts
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The ones I find are usually quite small as well.
As I said earlier in this thread, my closet I keep my pack and mushroom bags in smells extremely strong like butterscotch/maple from them. I don’t know if the smell will ever go away.
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CHUCK.HNTR
feral urbanite



Registered: 09/30/19
Posts: 2,255
Loc: SF, CA, USA
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-------------------- "What is the practical application of a million universes?" -Alan Watts
   
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Sk8nshram
pigskin footballs



Registered: 11/01/13
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The two species you’re talking about do share habitat. You’re looking in the right places if you’re near hazelnut. You also want live and well decayed Douglas fir. Other notable trees are Western hemlock, Western red cedar(they love wet areas), big leaf maple, and ocean spray. Then just find the wettest areas and they’ll be there, especially on a year like this. They can get huge, palm sized. But most are smaller.
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PantsR4squares
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Registered: 11/02/13
Posts: 170
Loc: In the woods
Last seen: 3 days, 10 hours
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Thanks that's reassurance I'm looking in the correct areas. I will tend towards wetter areas. Have a couple other areas to check tomorrow, these candy caps have been elusive.
Appreciate the help!
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