Lactifluus

Lactifluus
Lactifluus piperatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Russulales
Family: Russulaceae
Genus: Lactifluus
(Pers.) Roussel (1806)

Lactifluus is a genus of mushroom-producing fungi. It is one of three genera containing species commonly named milk-caps, the others being Lactarius and Multifurca. It has been separated from Lactarius based on molecular phylogenetic evidence and is very similar to that genus. Lactifluus species have a mainly tropical distribution, but are also found in the north temperate zone as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Systematics and taxonomy




Lactarius



Multifurca




Russula




Lactifluus


Phylogenetic relationships of Lactarius, Lactifluus, Multifurca, and Russula.[1]

The genus Lactifluus was described in 1806 by French naturalist Henri François Anne de Roussel, with the type species Lactifluus piperatus.[2] Later, Lactifluus was largely considered a synonym of Lactarius, until molecular phylogenetic work showed in 2008 that Lactarius was not a monophyletic group.[1] In the following, the name Lactarius was conserved for the biggest of the subclades revealed, containing most well-known north temperate species.[3][4][5] Thus, the name Lactifluus could be used for the smaller genus, necessitating only a few name changes, as combinations with Lactifluus had already been made previously for many temperate species.[3][6] New combinations have since been proposed for several species formerly classified in Lactarius.[7][8][9]

Description

Pleurotoid Lactifluus are mainly found in the Tropics: here, an unidentified species from French Guiana.

Lactifluus closely resembles its lookalike genus Lactarius, with whom it shares the brittle flesh of the fruit bodies and the milk-like latex exuded when bruised. So far, synapomorphic characters for the genus have not been discovered, there are only tendencies that distinguish it from Lactarius.[6] Pleurotoid (laterally stiped) fruitbodies are only known in Lactifluus, while species with closed (angiocarpous) fruitbodies only occur in Lactarius.[6] Microscopically, thick-walled elements in the pileipellis and stipitipellis (cuticle of the stipe) and sphaerocytes in the trama of the lamellae are common in Lactifluus, but rare in Lactarius species.[6]

Edibility

L. volemus is one of the best known edible milk-caps.

Several species in the genus are edible. Lactifluus volemus especially is a choice mushroom in the northern temperate region.[10]

Species (selection)

North temperate zone

Tropical regions

Australasia

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Buyck B, Hofstetter V, Eberhardt U, Verbeken A, Kauff F. (2008). "Walking the thin line between Russula and Lactarius: the dilemma of Russula sect. Ochricompactae" (PDF). Fungal Diversity 28: 15–40.
  2. Roussel HFA. (1806). Flore du Calvados et terrains adjacents, composée suivant la méthode de Jussieu (in French). Caen: L.-J. Poisson. p. 66. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  3. 1 2 Buyck B, Hofstetter V, Verbeken A, Walleyn R. (2010). "Proposal to conserve Lactarius nom. cons. (Basidiomycota) with conserved type". Taxon 59: 447–453.
  4. Barrie F. (2011). "Report of the General Committee: 11". Taxon 60 (4): 1211–1214.
  5. Norvell LL. (2011). "Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi: 16". Taxon 60: 223–226.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Verbeken A, Nuytinck J. (2013). "Not every milkcap is a Lactarius" (PDF). Scripta Botanica Belgica 51: 162–168.
  7. Stubbe D, Wang X-H, Verbeken A. (2012). " "New combinations in Lactifluus. 2. L. subg. Gerardii". Mycotaxon 119: 483–485. doi:10.5248/119.483.
  8. Verbeken A, Nuytinck J, Buyck B. (2012). "New combinations in Lactifluus. 1. L. subgenera Edules, Lactariopsis, and Russulopsis". Mycotaxon 118: 447–453. doi:10.5248/118.447.
  9. Verbeken A, Van de Putte K, De Crop E. (2012). "New combinations in Lactifluus. 3. L. subgenera Lactifluus and Piperati". Mycotaxon 120: 443–450. doi:10.5248/120.443.
  10. Bessette AR, Bessette A, Harris DM. (2009). Milk Mushrooms of North America: A Field Identification Guide to the Genus Lactarius. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. p. 5. ISBN 0-8156-3229-0.

External links

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