False saffron milk cap or Lactarius salmonicolor

Cap 3-10 cm across, when young convex with an inrolled margin, becoming with age flattened and spread out with a pronounced funnel in the center. The cap skin is smooth, slimy in wet weather, dry and matte in dry weather. Color orange-ginger, less often flesh-orange, with characteristic darker concentric zones. Quickly turns blue-green when pressed — a diagnostic feature. The margin is even and smooth, without fluffy hairs.

Cap 4-12 cm across, when young convex with an inrolled margin, becoming with age flattened and spread out with a funnel in the center. The cap skin is smooth, slimy in wet weather, dry and matte in dry weather. Color distinctly salmon-orange, often with darker concentric zones and greenish spots where damaged. The margin is smooth, even, not fluffy — an important difference from the woolly milk cap.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are decurrent, crowded, orange-cream at first, with age ochre with green spots. Quickly turn green when touched. Spore print ochre-cream.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are adnate or slightly decurrent, crowded, orange to salmon-pink, turn green 30-60 min after being touched. Spore print yellowish to ochre-orange.

Stem 3-7 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical, hollow in old specimens. Color orange to rusty-ginger, with characteristic darker shallow pits ("scrobicules") — a typical feature of saffron milk caps. Quickly turns green when pressed. No ring.

Stem 3-6 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical, hollow inside when old. Color the same salmon-orange tone as the cap, with characteristic darker shallow pits on the surface — a typical feature of saffron milk caps ("dents"). No ring.

Flesh thin, brittle, salmon-orange. When cut it releases orange milk, which turns wine-red in the air after 5-15 min, then turns blue-green together with the flesh — a characteristic reaction, stronger than in L. salmonicolor. Smell fruity-resinous, pleasant, taste mild, sweetish, not bitter.

Flesh thin, brittle, salmon-orange. When damaged it releases orange milk, which gradually (after 30-60 min) turns wine-red in the air, while the flesh turns green where cut — a characteristic reaction that sets it apart from L. deliciosus (whose milk clearly turns green). Smell fruity-resinous, pleasant, taste mild, sweetish, not bitter.

Pleasant, fruity and resinous with a hint of conifer needles — typical of saffron milk caps.

Pleasant, fruity and resinous with a hint of conifer needles — typical of saffron milk caps.