Purple-staining bearded milk cap
Lactarius repraesentaneus
A species of Milk-caps.
The bearded milk cap, notably identified by its purple discoloration upon touch or injury, features a cap that often blends shades of yellow and brown. This cap sits atop a short, sturdy stem. When cut or broken, it emits a white, milky liquid, characteristic of this fascinating species.
In This Article
Attributes of Purple-staining bearded milk cap
Cap Diameter
5 - 18 cm
Height
3 - 8 cm
Cap
Cap 4 - 14 cm across; convex to flat to shallowly vase-shaped; pale to dark yellow or orangish yellow; with hairy; turns lilac to purple when bruised
Cap Shape
Convex, Flat, Depressed
Cap Surfaces
Slimy or slightly sticky, Fibrillose-scaly
Gills
Attached, decurrent; close; whitish, yellowish, orangish; turns lilac to purple when stained and damaged
Gill Attachment
Attached
Stem
Stem 3 - 8 cm long, 3 cm thick; equal, slightly club-shaped; whitish, pale yellowish; with featuring potholes; turns lilac to purple when bruised
Stem Shapes
Club Shaped
Stem Surfaces
Smooth to slightly fibrous
Flesh
White; turns lilac when sliced
Ring
Ringless
Spore Print Color
Creamy yellowish to pale ivory
Odor
Slightly fragrant when young, otherwise nondescript.
Body Color
YellowWhiteOrange
Flesh Bruises
Discolor to blue
Growth Form
Solitary, Scattered
Nutrient Gathering
Mycorrhizal
Substrate
On soil
You can find Purple-staining bearded milk cap by these plants
Engelmann spruce, Spruces, Willows
Occurence Habitats
Coniferous Woodland
Species Status
Widely distributed
Endangered Species
No
Scientific Classification of Purple-staining bearded milk cap
Phylum
Club fungi
Class
Mushroom-forming fungi
Order
Russulales
Family
Russulaceae
Genus
Milk-caps
Toxicity and Edibility of Purple-staining bearded milk cap
Is Purple-staining bearded milk cap Toxic?
The purple-staining bearded milk cap frequently appears in damp environments, especially in autumn. Its distinct purple coloration and milk cap structure serve to distinguish it from harmless varieties. Ingestion typically leads to digestive upset, impaired vision, and, for severe cases, damage to the liver and kidneys.
Toxins type
Terpenoid
Type of poisoning
Gastrointestinal
Toxic Severity
Moderate toxicity
Incubation Period
0.5-4 hours
Poisoning Symptoms
Common symptoms include gastrointestinal distress, characterized by nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea. In more severe cases, poisoning can lead to issues beyond the digestive system, such as vision problems, movement disorders like tremors or ataxia, and potential damage to vital organs like the liver and kidneys.
