Key to Gilled Mushrooms KeyThis is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.
Russulales SuborderFlesh without fibers, fracturing with the same sort of break as a piece of chalk
Spore and gill color limited to white, yellow, or ochre
Mycorrhizal: occuring only on the ground, and only when there are trees nearby
No ring or volva on stalk
All fleshy-stemmed mushrooms whose gills exude a latex when cut go here
Lactarius GenusFruiting bodies (especially the gills) exuding a liquid (called a latex) when broken
Stalk (and sometimes even gills) usually concolorous with cap
Dark Brownish Green Lactarius Section
Diagnosis
- Cap dark brownish green, at least in center; convex and viscid at first, becoming vase-shaped, dry and shiny; never velvety
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Stalk usually scrobiculate
- Flesh white, often tinged pink
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Latex white
Narrow down your identification:
Lactarius atroviridisCap vaguely zonate; minutely roughened; margin inrolled even in age
Latex very slowly staining gills greyish brown to greenish greyish brown; very acrid
Lactarius sordidusCap up to 4" wide; lightening to pale brown at margin
Latex staining gills brown
