Lactarius mediterraneensis is a mushroom that looks like the well known, edible rovello (L.deliciosus), but paler. The cap displays a yellowish color with orange concentric circles. The cream lamellaea exude a white latex that allows to distinguish it from other common Lactarius species: L.sanguifluus that has wine color latex and lamellaea, L.deliciosus with orange color and L.chrysorrheus with yellow latex. The stipe is short with engraved on the surface small holes, as it had suffered once from the smallpox. The body is white color, as seen in the bitten area.
Lactarius mediterraneensis grows in evergeen oak forests, in calcareous soils. In the district of Bages, it has been found in the evergreen oak forests of Montserrat. It tastes so spicy that it can’t be eaten.
[photos Jordi Badia]