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The milky one is pale, it is also dull or pale yellow, belongs to the Russula family (Russulaceae), genus Milky (Lactarius). The Latin name for this fungus is Lactifluus pallidus or Galorrheus pallidus.
This mushroom is considered uncommon and has no special value for mushroom pickers.
Where does the pale milky grow
The habitat of the pale milkweed covers deciduous and mixed forests located in the temperate climate zone. It occurs quite rarely. Mycorrhiza forms with oak, beech, and birch.
Fruiting is stable, the active period of which falls on July-August. Fruiting bodies grow in small clusters.
What does a dim milky look like
The young specimen has a convex hat, which becomes depressed, funnel-shaped with growth and reaches up to 12 cm in diameter. The surface is smooth, covered with mucus, light ocher or fawn.
The hymenophore is plastic with thin, sometimes branching, plates descending along the stem. Their color is identical to the hat, but when pressed and as they mature, spots of a straw, ocher shade appear, which, when dried, become rusty. Spores under the microscope are rounded with hair-like spines. In mass, they are a powder of a pale ocher color.
The leg is cylindrical in shape and it reaches up to 9 cm in length and up to 1,5 cm in girth. Inside is hollow, the surface is smooth and has a color similar to the cap.
The pulp is thick, dense, but rather fragile. Cream or white on cut. It secretes a large amount of light milky juice, which does not change color in the air, it tastes tasteless at first, then with a slight spicy aftertaste. The aroma is delicate, mushroom. The mushroom itself is mildly spicy.
The pale milky has a soft light fawn color, because of which it got its name
Is it possible to eat a pale milky
The pale milky mushroom is conditionally edible. It has weak gastronomic qualities, but is quite rich in the composition of trace elements. At first it tastes tasteless, and then there is a sharpness.
False doubles
In appearance, the dull milky can be confused with the following mushrooms:
- milky sticky – refers to conditionally edible, differs in milky juice darkening in the air and the color of the cap is slightly darker;
- fragrant milk mushroom – a conditionally edible specimen, the distinguishing feature of which is a delicate coconut aroma, as well as a fluffy surface of the cap with a pink tint;
- pepper pepper – refers to conditionally edible, larger in size, the milky juice turns yellow when dried, the color of the cap is whiter.
Rules for collection and use
Pale milky mushroom pickers do not often come across. It should be understood that the collection of any mushrooms, including this species, should be carried out in places located away from roads and large enterprises.
After harvesting, mushrooms necessarily require pre-treatment. After that, they are only suitable for salting with other species. Fruiting bodies are first pre-soaked for several days, then boiled for 7-10 minutes and only then salted.
Conclusion
The pale milky is conditionally edible, while it is noted that its fruiting bodies are rich in various trace elements, including iodine, potassium, sodium and phosphorus. But if cooked incorrectly, the mushroom can cause an eating disorder.
