Mayor's Miller (Lactarius mairei)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Russulales
- Family: Russulaceae (Russula)
- Genus: Lactarius (Miller)
- Species: Lactarius mairei (Mayor's Millennium)
Mushroom synonyms:
- Lactarius zonatus;
- Lactarius pearsonii.
Mayr's Miller (Lactarius mairei) is a small mushroom from the Russulaceae family.
External description of the mushroom
Mayor's Miller (Lactarius mairei) is a classic fruiting body, consisting of a cap and a leg. The fungus is characterized by a lamellar hymenophore, and the plates in it are often located, grow to the pedicle or descend along it, have a cream color, and are highly branched.
The pulp of the lactarius Mayor is characterized by medium density, whitish color, and a burning aftertaste that appears shortly after eating the mushroom. The milky juice of the mushroom also tastes hot, does not change its color under the influence of air, the aroma of the pulp is similar to that of a fruit.
The cap of the Milky Mayor is characterized by a curved edge in young mushrooms (it straightens out as the plant reaches maturity), a depressed central part, a smooth and dry surface (although in some mushrooms it may feel like felt). A fluff runs along the edge of the cap, consisting of hairs of small length (up to 5 mm), resembling needles or thorns. The color of the cap varies from light cream to clay-cream, and spherical areas emanate from the central part, painted in a pinkish or saturated clay. Such shades reach about half the diameter of the cap, the size of which is 2.5-12 cm.
The length of the stem of the mushroom is 1.5-4 cm, and the thickness varies within 0.6-1.5 cm. The shape of the stem resembles a cylinder, and to the touch it is smooth, dry, and does not have the slightest dent on the surface. In immature mushrooms, the leg is filled inside, and as it ripens, it becomes empty. It is characterized by pink-cream, cream-yellow or cream color.
Fungal spores have an ellipsoidal or spherical shape, with ridged areas visible on them. The spore sizes are 5.9-9.0 * 4.8-7.0 microns. The color of the spores is predominantly cream.
Habitat and period of fruiting
Mare's Miller (Lactarius mairei) occurs mainly in deciduous forests, grows in small groups. The fungus of this species is widespread in Europe, Southwestern Asia and Morocco. Active fruiting of the fungus occurs in the period from September to October.
Edibility
Mayr's Miller (Lactarius mairei) belongs to the edible mushrooms, suitable for consumption in any form.
Similar species, distinctive features from them
The Miller of the Mer (Lactarius mairei) is very similar in appearance to the pink wave (Lactarius torminosus), however, unlike its pink color, the Miller of the Mer is characterized by a creamy or creamy-white hue of the fruit body. A little pink remains in it - in a small area in the central part of the cap. For the rest, in the lactarius, everything is the same as in the named type of wave: there is hair growth along the edge of the cap (especially in young fruiting bodies), the mushroom is characterized by zoning in color. Initially, the mushroom has a slight pungency, but the aftertaste remains pungent. The difference from the milkman's wave is that it forms mycorrhiza with oaks, and prefers to grow on soils rich in lime. The pink wave is considered a mycorrhizal with birch.
Interesting about the Mayor's milkman
The mushroom, called the Mayor's milkman, is included in the Red Books of several countries, including Austria, Estonia, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden. The species is not listed in the Red Data Book of Russia; it is not included in the Red Data Books of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
The generic name of the mushroom is Lactarius, which means milk-giving. The species designation was given to the mushroom in honor of the famous mycologist from France, Rene Maire.