Lactarius fluens

Lactarius fluens Boud. (illustrated 40% life size) Cap 4–13cm across (those in the photograph are rather small), at first shallow convex, soon flattening and developing a central depression, margin incurved, from fairly even and regular to variously waved and lobed, hairless; usually dull, pale greenish-olive to olive-green, but sometimes from drab to greyish-drab or slate grey, usually with several darker, concentric bands, margin sometimes much paler; surface sticky when moist, smooth, with fine, translucid veining. Stem 25–70×10–20mm, cylindrical; paler than cap, whitish, pale olive-buff to pale mouse or violaceous-grey, often with ochre to rusty base, staining or bruising brownish; smooth. Gills adnexed to slightly decurrent even when young, somewhat crowded, somewhat narrow; with a creamy tint, later cream to buff, bruising hazel to sepia but often only after several hours (this and their colour distinguishing from L. blennius p.). Milk white, drying greenish-grey on gills; taste hot after a few seconds. Spores 6.5–8.5×5.2–6.5¼, ovate to elliptical; warts joined by relatively few, almost wing-like ridges tending to run across the spore and giving it a striped appearance. Spore print deep cream (E) with a salmon tinge. Habitat with broad-leaved trees, especially beech and hornbeam; late summer to autumn. Occasional. Unknown edibility.