Lactarius violascens

Morphological Features:

Pileus with a diameter that in adult specimens can exceed 10 cm, convex during the early stages, it expands and flattens quite rapidly forming a central depression which causes older specimens to become somewhat infundibuliform. Its cuticle is smooth, non-viscid, and zoned, sometimes faintly and in other cases more distinctly, dark brown or dark ochre with violet tinges that manifest more clearly towards the margin or on damaged areas. Margin irregularly undulate, involute initially but soon expanded.

Lamellae adnate to slightly decurrent, especially in older individuals, rather crowded and pale when young, later becoming cream-ochraceous. The latex exuded by the flesh turns violet upon drying on them, imparting a violet coloration that manifests throughout all damaged areas.

Stipe generally shorter than the pileal diameter but appearing robust, solid, at least when young, somewhat attenuated at the base in some specimens; it may be smooth or bear a few small, poorly defined scrobiculi. It develops patches of ochre and dark violet upon handling.

Flesh thick and compact, whitish in color that stains violet or lilac upon cutting in the pileus and turns slightly yellowish in the stipe. It exudes white latex that turns violet upon drying on the various parts. Its odor is faint and its taste is somewhat bitter and slightly pungent after brief mastication.

Habitat:

This species fruits in diverse habitats with a tendency to occur more frequently in broadleaf or mixed forests; our collection was made in a mixed pine and oak forest. It is an uncommon species that appears in small groups or solitary. An eminently autumnal species, although it may also appear at other times of the year.

Observations:

This species belongs to a group of Lactarius characterized by exuding white latex that turns violet upon drying. This section, Uvidini, includes Lactarius uvidus, which is beige with an elongated stipe; Lactarius luridus, with a viscid pileus; Lactarius cistophilus, associated with rockroses; and several others. Unlike the aforementioned species, the one described in this profile features a zoned pileus.