Weeping milk cap or Mild milk cap

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 2-5 (rarely up to 7) cm, convex at first with a small bump in the center, then flattened and finally with a depressed center. Often with a noticeable umbo in the center, which sets it apart from other small milk caps. Color reddish-brown, flesh-brick, fading with age. Surface dry, smooth, matte, without zones.

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. Gills crowded, narrow, adnate or slightly decurrent. Color pale cream to flesh-pink, darkening with age. When damaged, they release watery white milk. Spore print cream.

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 3-6 cm tall, 0.4-0.8 cm thick, slender, cylindrical or slightly tapering toward the base, hollow in mature specimens. Same color as the cap or a little lighter. Surface smooth, no ring and no volva.

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 thin, tender, brittle, reddish-brown, does not change color when cut. The milk is whitish, clear and watery, sparse, and does not change color or turn yellow on exposure to air.

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.

Smell faint, mushroomy; in some specimens slightly pleasant with a fruity note. Taste of the raw flesh and milk — mild, faintly sweetish, with no burning and no bitterness (sometimes with a faintly bitterish aftertaste in mature specimens). This is the most characteristic feature of the species.