Woolly milk cap or Yellowdrop milk cap

Cap 4-9 cm, convex at first with an inrolled margin, then flattened and finally with a depressed center. Color pale pink, flesh-pink, salmon, with barely visible concentric zones or none. Surface smooth, dry, slightly sticky in wet weather.

Cap 4-12 cm, convex with a depressed center at first, then funnel-shaped. Pink, brick-pink to brick-red, with distinct darker concentric zones. The margin is inrolled, with a characteristic fluffy (downy) edge — hence the name “woolly.”

Gills. The gills are crowded, narrow, adnate or slightly decurrent. Color pale cream to yellowish, white in young specimens. When damaged they exude white milk that quickly turns yellow. Spore print cream.

Gilled hymenophore. Gills crowded, narrow, adnate or slightly decurrent down the stem. Whitish or with a pinkish tint, turning cream with age. Spore print creamy-white.

Stem 3-7 cm tall, 0.8-1.5 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly club-shaped, hollow in mature specimens. Paler than the cap — cream to pale pink. Surface smooth, with no ring and no volva.

Stem 4-6 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical, hollow inside. Same color as the cap or slightly paler. Surface smooth, with no ring and no volva.

Flesh whitish; when cut it quickly turns yellow to sulfur yellow or bright yellow within 10-30 seconds. The milk is white at first, but within literally 5-15 seconds it vividly turns yellow — this is the most characteristic and diagnostically unmistakable reaction.

The flesh is white and firm, releasing abundant white milk when damaged. The milk doesn't change color in the air. When cut, the flesh itself doesn't darken or turn yellow either.

Smell faint, mushroomy, with no particular notes. The raw flesh tastes sharp, peppery, acrid, with a bitterish aftertaste. Do not taste it raw.

Faint mushroomy smell, slightly resinous. Raw flesh tastes acrid, sharp, with peppery notes. Don't taste it raw — it causes blisters on the tongue.