That’s one Ugly Milkcap!
2019 was an exceptionally good year for all kinds of fungi and in my experience, it was the best in terms of abundance. This was acknowledged by a local foray leader I know, and he’s only been doing it for over 40 years!
The month is November, at the height of the mushroom season, and along with swarming crops of Wood Blewits and Birch Milkcaps, this other distinctive species, I discovered, were also in great numbers. I had probably walked by dozens more without noticing as their dull, earthy appearance has a habit of blending into the surroundings.
In a particularly damp mixed woodland setting, Ugly Milkcaps (Lactarius turpis) suddenly begin to appear in my path. I notice more and more, scattered over a larger area with others in smaller groups of two or three. They are most commonly associated with birch trees but can grow alongside other species including pine and spruce. The common name is very fitting, these mushrooms are simply ugly and look like they are in need of a good clean.
Smaller and younger fruiting bodies have dirty olive-brown caps, often velvet-like to the touch with an inrolled, shaggy cap edge. The older they get, the dirtier and less conspicuous they become, even to the point of turning totally black. A typical mature specimen holds between this olive-brown / black brown state (lighter at the margin), and the medium to large cap is often slightly depressed in the centre (sometimes with a central umbo). After rain, water collects in this central dip, creating a sticky/slimy texture which will glisten in the light. This is actually helpful as it makes them a whole lot easier to spot from a distance.
The decurrent gills are very crowded and initially creamy white (surprisingly). But soon they become blotchy and stain to a dull dirty brown over time. Damaged or ‘handled’ gills cause the white, acrid tasting milk to appear on the gill surface (as seen in the images below).
Culinary-wise (and speaking personally) this is a ‘no-go’ mushroom. Apart from looking unappetizing, they have a bitter/acrid taste. But the main concern is that this species contains a nasty mix of chemicals that are ‘mutagenic’ (that’s the big science word of the day). As many mutagens are known to cause cancer, it’s safe to say I would avoid this one for the pot. But saying that, it is very popular in Russia (often preserved in salt) or used as a spice (after boiling) in some Eastern European/Siberian cultures. Boiling can remove most of the nasty stuff – but not all removal is guaranteed.
I’m not saying this will kill you or give you cancer, I just thought it best that I label this mushroom as: ‘Not recommended for consumption’. Priyatnogo appetita (Приятного аппетита).
YOUNG UGLY MILKCAP: Dirty yellow-olive colouring. Young gills are whiter and cap rim enrolled slightly.
MATURE UGLY MILKCAP: Darker areas appear on the cap and the gills become stained olive-brown by old milk. Cut area shows the white milk.
OLDER UGLY MILKCAP: Cap and gills become darker and when very old, and can become completely brown-black in colour. It is extremely fragile in this state and will easily fall apart if handled.
QUICK ID TABLE: UGLY MILKCAP Lactarius turpis |
CAP / FLESH 7-15cm across. Dirty olive-brown colour. Initially convex expanding with age, often with a shallow central depression (sometimes retaining a small bump/umbo). Sticky and slimy when wet. Younger caps often have a scurfy texture with woolly margin. STEM 4-7cm tall / 1.5-2.5cm thick. Same colour as cap/sometimes lighter. Smooth and cylindrical and has no ring. GILLS / MILK / SPORE PRINT Creamy white; crowded, decurrent gills. Become dirty brown/black with age. HABITAT / SEASON Mainly with beech. But can also be found with spruce, pine and others in mixed (wet) woodland. EDIBILITY Inedible. Acrid taste. Possibly carcagenic. But popular in Eastern Europe, Siberia/Russia. |
The Genus LACTARIUS (Milkcaps): Characteristics to look out for: • Gills and flesh exude milk when broken or damaged. |
ds (Grifola frondosa) is a lovely sight for any mushroom fan, especially foragers looking for that special something to cook up. They’re widespread but occasional and the specimen featured here is the best of the three examples I discovered.
The Dark Honey Fungus (Armillaria ostoyae), like 
The Scurfy Twiglet (Tubaria furfuracea) is one of, if not, the most common of all the Tubaria (Twiglet) species. Typically small, reddish brown, found in scattered groups on twigs in and around wood debris. These particular ones were just in front of a hedgerow amongst the damp twigs and leaf litter. I was particularly proud in spotting them as I was riding by on my bicycle at the time! They can also appear on chippings and deciduous woodland floors.
The Lumpy Bracket (Trametes gibbosa) is found in woodland exclusively growing on dead deciduous wood, of which it favours beech, often solitary but also can be found in medium to large groups (sometimes very large groups – see photographs below). Either way, most of the time it is a striking white colour (sometimes with hues of grey or buff) and very thick and lumpy.
At the edge of a long woodland path in a Leicestershire wood, fortune was on my side when I came across Chicken of the Woods or Sulphur Polypore (Laetiporus sulphureus). One of those bracket fungi that are instantly recognisable and a joy to behold.
In this case I’m talking about two types of Cup fungus found on a recent foray, namely the Bleach Cup (Disciotis venosa) and the Vinegar Cup (Helvella acetabulum) both of which occasionally can be seen during spring time on soil in sheltered woodland areas (in this case beech woodland) and sometimes even on lawns too if it’s the Bleach Cup.
In this case it’s the common and most welcome Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). Usually growing in medium to large clusters on fallen logs, stumps or standing trunks, it’s one mushroom I always look out for during the ‘out of season‘ months. I mainly choose deciduous woods to visit (some can grow on coniferous wood) where they are most commonly found, especially on beech.
The Oakbug Milkcap (Lactarius quietus) as you’ve probably guessed, is exclusive to Oak woodland. They’re pretty easy to miss (or be stepped on) because of their smallish size and colour, which subtly blends in amongst the fallen leaves and surrounding soil. But when you find one, you suddenly notice more and more pop up in to your field of vision, scattered around the woodland floor.
The Blusher (Amanita rubescens) is one of the more common Amanita mushrooms. Summer to autumn is the best time to find them, usually solitary, in coniferous and deciduous woodland.
The Sheathed Woodtuft (Kuehneromyces mutabilis) has also adopted other common names, such as Velvet Toughshank, Brown Stew Fungus and Two-toned Pholiota, even though it is not strictly a Pholiota species. But I have seen it named as ‘Pholiota mutabilis’ somewhere else. It just goes to show that scientific names change from time to time as the scientific knowledge of fungi continually advances.
