Content
Mushrooms of the genus Mlechnik (lat. Lactarius) got their name from the milky juice that appears when breaking. It stands out from the pulp of the cap or leg, in many fruit bodies of a milky shade. The sticky milky (gray-green mushroom, slimy milky) also secretes a white liquid, which, upon contact with air, quickly turns into an olive-gray composition.
Where the sticky milky grows
This species is widespread in deciduous and mixed forests of Western and Eastern Europe, including on the territory of Russia. It appears from August to September in Asian countries. Most often found in the vicinity of a beech or birch. It grows in the mountains of Asia.
What a gray-green lump looks like
The cap (5-10 cm) of the sticky milky is flat, depressed in the center. The edges fall down over time. The grayish-green surface is covered with dirty specks arranged in a circle. The skin becomes sticky, shiny after rain. The inner surface is covered with plates, smoothly turning to the leg, which grows up to 6 cm. At first they are whitish, but if you touch it with your hand, they immediately turn brown. A whitish sap is released along the edges of the plates during the incision; in air the emulsion hardens and changes color.
The leg resembles a curved cylinder expanding downward. It is lighter than the cap, dense, with white flesh, has an indefinite taste and smell.
An adult milkman has a hollow leg
Is it possible to eat sticky lactate
This mushroom in Russia is considered conditionally edible. Some mushroom pickers collect it to salt and pickle. But mycologists do not exclude the possibility of poisoning and therefore some do not recommend it for collection.
But the fruiting body continues to be studied until toxic properties have been identified. In the "Handbook of a novice mushroom picker" M. Vishnevsky, all milkmen are edible. In European countries, on the contrary, most mushrooms of this species are considered inedible.
False doubles
There are many similar species in the Syroezhkovy family. They differ most often in the sizes and shades of the colors of the surface of the cap:
- The sticky milky has a resemblance to the olive-black variety, in another way, we load it with black. But this species is larger: the cap reaches 20 cm in diameter, and the leg grows up to 8 cm. The cap is darker, in the middle is brown, in places black.
- The dimensions of the wet lactarius are approximately the same as the proportions of the olive-gray breast. They differ in the color of the cap. In the case of the lilac gray, the surface changes from gray to gray-violet.
The gray-green mushroom has no poisonous counterparts. But if you are not sure of the edibility of a particular species, it is better to pass by.
Collection rules and use
When collecting sticky lactate, you need to use a knife: they carefully cut off the leg without disturbing the mycelium.Then next year, in late summer and early autumn, in this place you can collect 2 times more of these mushrooms. They grow as a family, at a distance of 1-3 m from each other. Large varieties are visible from afar, while small ones hide under the foliage. They eat salted and pickled mushrooms. Before processing, soak in cold water for 2-3 days to get rid of the bitter taste. They are not dried or fried.
Conclusion
The sticky milky is not poisonous. But its abuse can lead to sad consequences, since it is heavy food. Should not be used by young children or pregnant women. It is not advised to include in the diet for people with kidney, liver and gall bladder problems.
