About Lactarius pallidus Pers.
Lactarius pallidus Pers. has a cap that measures 4 to 10 centimetres (1.6 to 3.9 in) across. The cap starts out flattened convex, and develops a funnel-shaped depression as it ages. Its colour is pale buff, sometimes dull, but often with a rosy tint; it may also be pale brown or pale flesh colour. The cap surface is smooth, firm, and sticky, and contains a thick layer of white to buff flesh. Young specimens have an incurved margin on the cap. Its most distinguishing features are its pale colour, incurved margin, and smooth cap. The stem is 3 to 8 centimetres (1.2 to 3.1 in) long, and 6 to 28 millimetres (0.24 to 1.10 in) thick. It is cylindrical or slightly narrowed at the base, and matches the cap's colour or is whitish. The gills are moderately decurrent, crowded, and coloured pale rosy buff to yellowish buff, and they exude white milk. The spores are elliptic, with ridges of varying thickness across their surface that form few cross-connections. They typically measure 8 to 10 by 6 to 7 micrometres. The spore print of Lactarius pallidus is pale ochre with a faint salmon tinge. Lactarius pallidus looks similar to Lactarius affinis, but can be told apart because it does not have the peppery taste that L. affinis has. Lactarius pallidus usually grows in mycorrhizal association with beech trees, but can also grow under birch trees. It is typically half-buried in leaf litter. It sometimes grows in large groups, and is found from summer through autumn. It is common in Europe, much rarer in North America, and also occurs in Australia.
