Lactarius oculatus (Pk.) Burlingham. Cap 1-3.5cm across, flat with a depression on the disc and a central papilla, eventually becoming shallowly funnel-shaped; dark reddish brown or dark reddish cinnamon around the papilla and similar but paler over the rest of the cap; tacky and shining when fresh, but soon drying. Gills decurrent, close, broad; very pale pinky-cream staining light pinkish cinnamon, becoming duller all over in age. Stem 20-30 x 2-4mm, hollow, sometimes slightly enlarged toward base; dull pinkish cinnamon; naked, moist, watery-fragile. Flesh watery-fragile; similar color to surface. Latex whey-like, unchanging, scanty; young caps stain white paper yellow. Odor slight. Taste very slowly and faintly peppery. Spores ellipsoid,7.5-9.5 x 6-6.5µ; ornamented with a few isolated warts, prominences 0.3-0.6µ, high. Deposit yellowish. Habitat scattered or in groups in sphagnum bogs. Sometimes common. Found in northeastern North America as far south as Georgia. Season August-September. Edibility not known - avoid. |