Saffron milk cap or Rufous milk cap

Cap 3-10 cm, convex at first with a small umbo in the center, then flattened and finally funnel-shaped with a depressed center. Reddish brown, russet, brick-red; darker when young, paler and faded when old. The surface is dry, matte, slightly sticky in wet weather. The cap margin is even, inrolled in young specimens.

Cap 4–15 cm across, convex at first, then funnel-shaped. Surface smooth or slightly sticky, bright orange or brick-rusty, with darker concentric zones. Turns greenish when damaged.

Gilled hymenophore. Gills crowded, narrow, adnate or slightly decurrent. Whitish to cream, taking on a russet tint with age, like the cap. When damaged, they release white milk. Spore print cream.

Gills crowded, narrow, decurrent, bright orange, turning green when damaged. They release an orange milk that stays unchanged or slowly turns green — this is the key identification feature.

Stem 4-8 cm tall, 0.7-1.5 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly tapering toward the base, often hollow in mature specimens. Same color as the cap or slightly paler. The surface is dry, smooth, with no ring and no volva, often with whitish down at the base.

Stem 3–8 cm tall, 1–2.5 cm thick, cylindrical, solid (in young ones), hollow in mature ones. Surface orange, smooth, turning green when damaged. Often has small pits. No ring.

Flesh whitish or pinkish, firm in the cap, fibrous in the stem. When damaged, it releases abundant white milk that does not change color or turn yellow in the air. This is an important diagnostic feature — white, stable milk.

Flesh firm, orange-yellow or orange, slowly turning green on exposure to air when damaged. Releases an orange milk whose taste is mild or slightly acrid depending on where it grows. The mushroom tastes pleasant, slightly resinous.

Smell faint, slightly resinous, with no distinctive notes. The raw flesh and milk taste very hot, sharp, peppery. This is the best diagnostic: lick it and you’ll feel a sharp burning sensation on your tongue.

Smell pleasant, fruity-resinous, with light notes of conifer forest. The aroma survives salting and pickling, giving the food a distinctive woodland character.