Lactarius indigo

Morphological Features:

Pileus of a size comparable to chanterelles; at full maturity it may reach 15 cm in diameter, though specimens between 5 and 10 cm are most commonly encountered. Convex when young, soon becoming flat and umbilicate, finally adopting an infundibuliform shape with a pronounced central depression. Surface non-separable from the flesh, indigo-blue in young specimens, fading with age to pale blue tones with grayish tints. Exhibits concentric zones of more intense blue, and the margin is fairly regular and involute in young specimens.

Lamellae adnate to slightly decurrent, indigo-blue in color, becoming somewhat grayish with age, frequently stained deep blue by the latex or green upon its drying. They are crowded and interspersed with lamellulae.

Stipe solid and firm when young, later becoming cavernous; short or proportionate to the pileus. Broadened at the apex near the pileus and somewhat attenuated towards the base, nearly radicate, scrobiculate, and concolorous.

Flesh whitish or pale grayish, stained blue particularly towards the margin. Exudes a blue latex that turns greenish upon drying. Odor strongly fungoid and taste sweet, not acrid.

Habitat:

This fungus forms mycorrhizal associations with pines and oaks, fruiting primarily during autumn. There is no confirmed record of its occurrence in the European continent.

Observations:

A curious edible species harvested across broad regions of Central America and the eastern United States, also recorded in Asia. In Mexico, it is a highly prized delicacy in many areas; the accompanying photographs originate from there, courtesy of Amaya, a Fungipedia user. Due to its distinctive characteristics, it is an unmistakable species. However, its placement within the genus remains somewhat uncertain; we believe it cannot be classified in the same section as Lactarius uvidus, despite its blue latex, but rather belongs to section Deliciosei as an exceptional member of the Dapetes group. The closest European relative is likely Lactarius hemicyaneus, which some authors have synonymized with Lactarius quieticolor.