Weeping milk cap or Blackening brittlegill

Cap 5-12 (rarely up to 15) cm, convex with an inrolled margin at first, then flattening out with a depressed center. Color orange-brick, rusty brown, apricot — brighter in young specimens, darker in old ones. The surface is dry and smooth, and may crack finely with age. No concentric zones. The cap margin is even.

Cap 8-20 cm across; in young mushrooms hemispherical to flat with an inrolled margin, later becoming funnel-shaped. Color white when young, turning dirty gray, ash-gray, then blackish to anthracite black with age. The cap darkens when pressed — unevenly in young specimens. Surface smooth, slightly sticky in wet weather.

Gilled hymenophore. The gills are crowded, narrow, attached or slightly decurrent down the stem. Color pale cream to yellowish; when damaged they darken to brown (a typical reaction for Lactifluus). They exude abundant white milk. Spore print white.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are attached to the stem, distant and thick, typical of the genus Russula. In young mushrooms — whitish, when damaged they redden to brownish-black, darkening with age to gray, then black. Spore print white.

Stem 5-10 cm tall, 1.5-2.5 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly tapering downward, firm, sometimes with small cavities in mature specimens. Same color as the cap or a little lighter — orange-cream. The surface is smooth, no ring and no volva.

Stem 4-8 cm tall, 2-4 cm thick, thick, fleshy, cylindrical, relatively short. Color white when young, turning gray, then blackish with age. Surface smooth. No ring.

Flesh whitish to yellowish, meaty, firm; when cut it slowly darkens to brown within 5-15 minutes — this is a characteristic identification reaction. When damaged it exudes very abundant white milk (hence «molochai», from the word for milk — there's so much that it runs down your hand), which also darkens in air and leaves brown stains on clothing that are hard to wash out.

Flesh firm, fleshy, white when young. When cut, a two-phase reaction slowly unfolds (over 5-10 min): first it reddens to wine-red or bright carmine, then after a few more minutes it blackens to anthracite black. This is the classic diagnostic feature of the species. Faint mushroomy smell.

A characteristic smell — faint and mushroomy in fresh specimens, but as they dry and in mature ones a distinct smell of fish or herring appears. This is normal, not a sign of spoilage. The flesh and milk taste mild, faintly sweetish, nutty, with no heat and no bitterness.

Faint, pleasant, mushroomy, with no distinctive notes.