Peppery milk cap or Milk-white brittlegill

Cap 5-15 cm, convex at first with an inrolled margin, then flattened and finally funnel-shaped with a depressed center. Color white, creamy white, in mature specimens with a faint yellowish or ochre tint, especially in the center. Surface smooth, dry, matte, without zones, without a downy margin — this sets it apart from the “gruzd” group (Lactarius resimus, woolly milk cap, L. controversus).

Cap 5-20 cm across (often very large), convex-flat with a distinctly inrolled margin when young, with age becoming deeply funnel-shaped. The skin is matte white with an ochre-brown center; in adult specimens with noticeable bits of soil and moss stuck to it (because of the funnel shape). Base color white to cream, ochre-brown to brownish in the center. The skin is peels only at the margin, not easily. The margin is even, with a fine felty down when young.

Gilled hymenophore with the most characteristic feature of the species — very crowded, thin, narrow gills that run down the stem. No other milk cap has gills this crowded. Color creamy white, graying where damaged. They release plenty of white milk. Spore print white.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are decurrent, moderately spaced, fleshy, brittle. Color: whitish to creamy white, in the upper part, near the stem, often with a characteristic greenish-bluish tint — a diagnostic feature. Spore print white to creamy white.

Stem 4-8 cm tall, 1.5-2.5 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly tapering toward the base, firm, sometimes with small cavities in mature specimens. Color white. Surface smooth, dry, no ring and no volva.

Stem 2-5 cm tall, 2-4 cm thick — very short and thick, even when the cap is large. Cylindrical to conical, thickening toward the base. Color: whitish, in the upper part, with a characteristic greenish-bluish tint, with fine crosswise wrinkled grooves. No ring.

Flesh white, very dense, fleshy, brittle. When damaged it abundantly releases white milk (there's a lot of it — a characteristic feature). The milk slowly turns yellow in the air after 1-2 hours; the reaction with alkali (KOH) is orange-yellow.

Flesh very firm, fleshy, white, brittle. Exudes no milk when damaged (it's not a milk cap!). When cut, it slowly takes on a yellowish tint. Smell faintly mushroomy, with a fruity note in young specimens, taste mild at first, then distinctly burning and acrid (especially in the gills). Boiling removes the acridity.

Smell faint, mushroomy, slightly resinous. Taste of the raw flesh and milk — extremely burning, sharp, purely peppery, without bitterness — one of the hottest among the milk caps. Touch your tongue to the cut and you'll feel a sharp “black pepper” sensation.

Faintly mushroomy with a fruity note in young specimens, nothing striking.