Fungus · GBIF taxon 7240044
indigo milk cap
Lactarius indigoAlso known as Indigo Milky, Indigo Lactarius, Blue Lactarius, Blue Milk Mushroom
Deep indigo caps and brilliant blue latex set this striking mushroom apart from nearly all other wild fungi. When cut or bruised, the tissue exudes a vivid cobalt milk that slowly turns greenish as it oxidizes in the air. It forms ectomycorrhizal partnerships with both broadleaf and coniferous trees across North and Central America.
MycorrhizalDistinctiveForest Floor
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Tree Carbohydrates
- Soil Minerals
- Organic Nutrients
Predators
- Fungus Gnats
- Slugs
- Squirrels
ThreatsDeforestation and severe habitat disturbance
HabitatsConiferous and deciduous woodlands
Life spanMycelium lives perennially; fruiting bodies last 1 to 2 weeks
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyRussulaceae
- SpeciesLactarius indigo
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Observing Latex: Gently cut or nick the gills with a clean tool to observe the vivid blue milk.
- Checking Color Shifts: Watch the exposed blue latex over fifteen minutes to see it slowly stain green.
- Habitat Searching: Look near oak and pine roots after heavy summer or autumn rains.
Blue Look-alike (c) Charles de Martigny, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Oliver Clarke, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Oliver Clarke · cc-by
Close Relative (c) dloarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by dloarie · cc-by
Look-alike Relative (c) Luke Smithson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Luke Smithson · cc-by-sa
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