Small fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) taken from a swamp near Orekhovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, July 27, 2016
Unnamed Road, Orekhovo, Leningradskaya oblast', Russia, 188731Synonyms: Agaricus helvus, Agaricus tomentosus, Galorrheus helvus, Lactarius aquifluus, Lactarius tomentosus, Lactifluus aquifluus, Lactifluus helvus.
Common name: fenugreek milkcap.
Russian names: Mlechnik sero-rozovyy, Gruzd sero-rozovyy, Gruzd nesedobnyy, Mlechnik obyknovennyy, Mlechnik chalyy, Mlechnik yantarnyy.
Extract from Wikipedia article: Lactarius helvus, commonly known as fenugreek milkcap, is a member of the large milkcap genus Lactarius in the order Russulales. Fruiting bodies can be found in Sphagnum moss in coniferous and deciduous woodland in Europe, and possibly North America, although considerable debate continues about the North American variety, formerly referred to as Lactarius aquifluus. Mushrooms are pale brown-grey or beige in colour and funnel-shaped, with colourless, watery milk. Its distinctive smell has been likened to fenugreek, celery, liquorice, or Maggi instant soup. Mildly toxic when raw, it has been implicated in the poisoning of 418 people near Leipzig in October 1949. However, it is used in small quantities as a spice when dried. Sotolon, the agent that gives the fungus its odour, also occurs in fenugreek, maple syrup and lovage.
Lactarius helvus is a species of milk cap fungus that grows in association with birch trees. In St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, it typically fruits from July to October in moist, sandy soils under birch stands. It has also been found in other parts of north-western Russia, including the Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, and Vologda regions, often in similar habitats with birch dominance. The fungus is characterized by its small to medium size, orange-brown cap, and white or pale yellowish milk that turns brown upon exposure to air.
Small fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) taken from a swamp near Orekhovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, July 27, 2016Unnamed Road, Orekhovo, Leningradskaya oblast', Russia, 188731
Fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) near Orekhovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 13, 2016Unnamed Road, Leningradskaya oblast', Russia
Fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) near Dibuny, north-west from Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 24, 2016
Young fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) in a forest on west side of Kavgolovskoe Lake near Toksovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 25, 2017Novyy Pereulok, Kavgolovo, Leningradskaya oblast', Russia, 188667
Fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) in Tarkhovka Park, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 26, 2017Peschanaya Ulitsa, 1, Tarkhovka, Sankt-Peterburg, Russia, 197701
Small fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) in a roadside ditch west from Kavgolovo Lake near Toksovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, August 21, 2018Unnamed Road, Leningradskaya oblast', Russia, 188664
Fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) in Sosnovka Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2024Круговая аллея, округ Сосновское, Санкт-Петербург, Северо-Западный федеральный округ, 194064, Россия
Side view of fenugreek milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius helvus) in Sosnovka Park. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2024Круговая аллея, округ Сосновское, Санкт-Петербург, Северо-Западный федеральный округ, 194064, РоссияObservations of Lactarius helvus in Leningrad Oblast and north-western Russia reveal that the fungus grows in various locations, including swamps, forests, and roadside ditches. The mushrooms were found near Orekhovo, Dibuny, Toksovo, and Saint Petersburg, with sightings recorded between July and August over several years (2016-2024). The fungus was observed in different stages of growth, from young to mature, and in various environments, including Sosnovka Park and Tarkhovka Park. The mushrooms were often found in small groups, and their sizes varied, with some being described as small. The observations suggest that Lactarius helvus is a common species in the region, able to thrive in diverse habitats. The consistent sightings over several years indicate a stable population of the fungus in the area.
Russian web-forums Planeta Gribov, V Kontakte, and Griby Sredney Polosy for learning names of local mushrooms.
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