Peppery Milkcap

Lactarius piperatus

Deciduous and mixed forests, especially oak woods, shady places. Summer, autumn.

Fruiting bodies large, robust. Cap grows up to 20 cm across, matt, fleshy, firm, irregularly flattened, slightly depressed, white. Gills very crowded, narrow, white, cream, with a bluish sheen, adnate, subdecurrent. Stem 3-8x2-3 cm, firm, solid, white, cream. Characteristic features: white, large, firm fruiting bodies; the milk is white and turns bluish-greenish on reacting with air. Grows singly, more often in groups. Edible, uncommon in recent years. Protected.