Lactarius rufus, also known as Rufous Milkcap, is a small to medium-sized agaric that has a dull reddish-brown cap, creamy white gills and exudes milk that remains white. The flesh tastes very hot after about 30 seconds. The habitat of Lactarius rufus can vary, but it is commonly found in deciduous and coniferous forests. The mushroom prefers moist and acidic soil conditions. It tends to fruit from summer to autumn, depending on the specific location and climate.

Cap dry and velvety with a powdery matte texture and never sticky. It is reddish or bay-brown coloured, at first convex with an inrolled margin, later flattened or slightly depressed typically with a small central umbo. Gills first creamy white, later more similarly coloured as the cap, sub-decurrent, which means they travel partially down the stem and are fairly crowded. Stem is similarly coloured as the cap or more pallid, smooth and tapers off and darkens toward the base. The stem has no ring. Spore print pale cream with a slight salmon pink tinge.

Microscopic Features: The spores are approximately elliptical in shape, measuring 6.5-9 x 5.5-6.5μm. They have a transparent appearance and are adorned with a well-defined and nearly uninterrupted pattern of ridges.

Lactarius rufus on the www.first-nature.com web site.
Lactarius rufus on the www.mykoweb.com web site.