Contents
The milky gray-pink belongs to the Russula family, the genus Milky. It has a fairly large number of other names: common lactic, amber or roan, as well as gray-pink or inedible milk. The Latin name is lactarius helvus. Below is a photo and a detailed description of the gray-pink lactic.
Where does the milky mushroom grow gray-pink
Active fruiting of this species occurs at the end of August and the beginning of September under favorable conditions, but it occurs until the end of October until the first frost. The amber milky, the photo of which is presented below, grows everywhere, prefers a temperate climate. It forms mycorrhiza with coniferous trees, especially with pine or spruce, less often with deciduous trees, in particular, with birch. As a rule, it settles on acidic soil, is found in swampy areas, in mosses.
What does an amber milkman look like?
In most cases, this species never grows one at a time.
The milky gray-pink is presented in the form of a large cap and a thick stem. The size of the cap in diameter varies from 8 to 15 cm. At the initial stage of maturation, the cap is round in shape with curved edges down, gradually straightens. In the central part, depressions or, on the contrary, a tuberculous outgrowth may form. With the development of the fungus, the appearance of two signs at the same time is not excluded.
Painted in beige-gray with a pink or brown tint. The surface of the cap is velvety and dry. On the underside of the cap are descending, medium frequency and thickness, plates. At a young age, they are painted in a milky color, over time they acquire darker shades that match the color scheme of the hat. Spore powder is yellow.
The flesh of the milky gray-pink is white, thick and brittle. It has a bitter taste and a pronounced spicy aroma. The secreted milky juice from the fruiting bodies is watery, meager, and may be completely absent in old mushrooms.
The next photo clearly shows the rather stocky leg of the amber milkweed.
As a rule, the stem is straight, in rare cases it is slightly curved at the base.
Its length can reach about 8 cm, and the thickness in diameter is 2 cm. It is painted in lighter colors than the hat. In young specimens, it is solid and strong; in mature specimens, uneven cavities are formed inside. The surface is smooth without any additional outgrowths.
Edible or not lactic gray-pink
The edibility of this species is a rather controversial issue. So, in foreign literature it is classified as a weakly poisonous mushroom, and the opinion of domestic experts is divided. Some attribute it to conditionally edible, others – to inedible. As practice shows, due to the burning taste and pungent aroma, not everyone dares to eat such a specimen.
It is worth noting that the gray-pink milky is edible. However, a long soak is required before use.
False doubles
The mushroom exudes a strong aroma reminiscent of chicory.
This species is quite difficult to confuse with other gifts of the forest due to its specific smell. However, inedible milk mushrooms are similar in appearance to some other varieties, the photos of which are presented below:
- Oak breast – refers to conditionally edible. Most often found in deciduous forests. Similar in size and shape of fruiting bodies. A distinctive feature is the color of the cap, which varies from yellow to brick in color with darker patterns.
- bitterness – belongs to the category of conditionally edible mushrooms, however, long soaking is required before use. It differs from the considered species in the small size of the fruiting bodies. So, the cap of the double in diameter is no more than 12 cm. The leg of the bitter gourd is noticeably thinner and longer, reaching about 10 cm. In addition, it is painted in a darker, reddish-brown tone.
- Zoneless Milky – is a small, conditionally edible mushroom. Unlike the specimen in question, the double’s cap is flat, and its color varies from sandy to dark brown with a grayish tint. The leg is cylindrical, the length of which is from 3 to 7 cm, and the thickness is 1 cm in diameter.
Collection rules
Poisoning in search of a gray-pink lactic, a mushroom picker should know:
- You need to fold the gifts of the forest with hats down. It is allowed sideways if the specimens differ in too long a leg.
- To extend the shelf life of mushrooms, it is advisable to use well-ventilated containers; wicker baskets are best suited for this.
- When removed from the soil, the fungus can be twisted or slightly rocked.
How to cook milky gray-pink
Before eating the gray-pink lactifer, like other relatives of this family, mushrooms must be pre-treated. It is as follows:
- After collection, it must be cleaned of debris.
- Cut off the legs.
- Soak the gifts of the forest in water for at least a day.
- After this time, they are transferred to the pan and boiled for at least 15 minutes. Mushroom broth is not subject to further use.
After completing the basic steps, the inedible mushrooms can be fried, and they are especially tasty when salted with the addition of spices.
Conclusion
Milky gray-pink is quite widely known both in Our Country and abroad. Despite this, not every mushroom picker is happy with such gifts of the forest because of the pungent smell and unpleasant bitter taste. However, this species has been assigned the 4th category of nutritional value, which means that it is edible, but only after prolonged processing.