Fenugreek milkcap Lactarius helvus
inedibleIt has a pale flesh-brown, felty cap and smells of Maggi seasoning, whereas Lactarius picinus is dark and sticky.
Identification in 5 steps
Lactarius picinus is a small, dark brown to pitch-black milk cap with bitter milk. It grows under conifers and is inedible.
SeasonJuly to October
Spore printwhite
FamilyRussulaceae
- Cap. The cap is 2 to 6 cm wide, dark brown to pitch black, glossy when damp and often sticky.
- Underside. The gills are narrow and dark, run down the stem and release white milk that later turns bitter.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is slender and dark, often with a pale base; there is no ring and no volva.
- Smell and taste. The milk is bitter; do not taste it.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is dark and does not change colour noticeably.
Lookalikes
It is bitter and inedible and grows as a dark milk cap under conifers.
Sooty milkcap Lactarius lignyotus
edible
It tastes mild, and its spore print is ochre. Lactarius picinus, by contrast, tastes acrid and has cream-coloured gills.
View on the mapSide by side
| Lactarius picinus | Fenugreek milkcap | Sooty milkcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | 2 to 6 cm wide, dark brown to pitch black | 5 to 15 cm, pale flesh brown, felty | 3 to 8 cm, velvety black-brown, often bumped |
| Underside | gills narrow and dark | gills whitish to pale ochre, decurrent | gills white, contrast with the dark cap |
| Stem | slender, dark | cylindrical, pale, cap-coloured | long, black-brown, velvety |
| Flesh | dark, does not change colour noticeably | pale, milk watery white | white, milk white, slowly reddens |
| Edibility | Inedible | inedible | edible |
Habitat & Season
Acidic coniferous forest soils, often in moss. From the hills to the mountains.
Host trees
Spruce, occasionally pine.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Under conifers, especially spruce.
Mushroom regions with a daily forecast
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Not an edible mushroom: do not collect it for the kitchen.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Austria
Poison centre:
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Why it is not edible
Bitter, inedible.
Do not mistake it for edible dark milk caps.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lactarius picinus edible?
No, Lactarius picinus is not edible. It is bitter and grows as a dark milkcap under conifers.
When and where does Lactarius picinus grow?
Lactarius picinus grows from July to October on acidic coniferous forest soils, often in moss, mostly under spruce, occasionally under pine.
Which look-alikes can Lactarius picinus be mistaken for?
It can be mistaken for the sooty milkcap and the fenugreek milkcap. The sooty milkcap tastes mild and has an ochre spore print, whereas Lactarius picinus tastes acrid and has cream-coloured gills. The fenugreek milkcap has a pale flesh-brown, felty cap and smells of Maggi seasoning, whereas Lactarius picinus is dark and sticky.
How do you recognise Lactarius picinus?
The spore print is white. The cap is 2 to 6 cm wide, dark brown to pitch black, glossy when damp and often sticky.
Related species
- Fleecy milk-cap Lactarius vellereus
- Delicious milk cap Lactarius deliciosus
- False saffron milkcap Lactarius deterrimus
- Salmon milkcap Lactarius salmonicolor
- Curry milkcap Lactarius camphoratus
- Woolly milkcap Lactarius torminosus
Sources
Photo credits
- Photo: Karelj · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- Sooty milkcap: Photo: Игорь Лебединский · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.