The genus ''

Lactarius ''Lactarius'' is a genus of mushroom-producing, ectomycorrhizal fungi, containing several edible species. The species of the genus, commonly known as milk-caps, are characterized by the milky fluid ("latex") they exude when cut or damaged. Like ...

'' has about 583 members worldwide. The

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

is ''

Lactarius torminosus ''Lactarius torminosus'', commonly known as the woolly milkcap or the bearded milkcap, is a large agaric fungus. A common and widely distributed species, it is found in North Africa, northern Asia, Europe, and North America. It was first describ ...

''. Probably the best known and most widely eaten is ''

Lactarius deliciosus ''Lactarius deliciosus'', commonly known as the saffron milk cap and red pine mushroom, is one of the best known members of the large milk-cap genus '' Lactarius'' in the order Russulales. It is native to Europe, but has been accidentally introd ...

''. A large number of species were split into the ''

Lactifluus ''Lactifluus'' is one of three genera of mushroom-forming fungi containing species commonly named " milk-caps", the others being ''Lactarius'' and ''Multifurca''. It has been separated from ''Lactarius'' based on molecular phylogenetic evidence ...

'' genus based on

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

evidence.

Key

Species

English names

References

Footnotes Citations

Sources

* * * * *{{cite web , url=http://www.fungi4schools.org/Reprints/ENGLISH_NAMES.pdf , title=Recommended English Names for Fungi in the UK , publisher=

British Mycological Society The British Mycological Society is a learned society established in 1896 to promote the study of fungi. Formation The British Mycological Society (BMS) was formed by the combined efforts of two local societies: the Woolhope Naturalists' Field ...

, url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716083053/http://www.fungi4schools.org/Reprints/ENGLISH_NAMES.pdf , archive-date=2011-07-16 *