✅ Edibility Note
EDIBLE: Mild flavor. WIDELY SPACED GILLS + WHITE LATEX diagnostic. Cook thoroughly.
Description
Hygrophorus-like Milk Cap has orange to tan cap (4-10 cm), smooth, dry. Gills WIDELY SPACED (like Hygrophorus) - key feature. Stem similar color. KEY: WHITE LATEX, WIDELY SPACED GILLS. Resembles waxy caps but has latex. Flesh white. Spore print white.
Habitat & Distribution
Habitat: Mycorrhizal with HARDWOODS, especially oak. Grows on ground in hardwood forests. Southern and eastern US. Scattered.
Region: Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast
Seasonality
Summer through fall (June-October).
Common Lookalikes
Always verify identification to avoid these similar species:
- Hygrophorus species - NO LATEX, waxy gills
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