Extract from Wikipedia article: Lactifluus volemus, formerly known as Lactarius volemus, is a species of fungus in the family Russulaceae. It is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, in temperate regions of Europe, North America and Asia as well as some subtropical and tropical regions of Central America and Asia. A mycorrhizal fungus, its fruit bodies grow on the ground at the base of various species of trees from summer to autumn, either individually or in groups. It is valued as an edible mushroom, and is sold in markets in Asia. Several other Lactifluus mushrooms resemble L. volemus, such as the closely related edible species L. corrugis, but these can be distinguished by differences in distribution, visible morphology, and microscopic characteristics. L. volemus produces a white spore print and has roughly spherical spores about 7–8 micrometres in diameter.
Lactarius volemus is a species of edible mushroom that grows in association with oak trees. In East and Central Texas, it typically fruits from June to November, often in sandy soils under live oak and post oak. The cap is 2-6 cm wide, convex to flat, and reddish-brown to orange-brown with lighter spots or patches. The gills are crowded and cream-colored, turning pinkish-buff with age. The stalk is 2-5 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm thick, often tapering towards the base. Lactarius volemus is common in the region's oak woodlands and can be found in a variety of habitats, including woodland edges, savannas, and along roadsides.
Weeping milk cap mushrooms Lactarius volemus var. flavus under red cedar trees on a slope near a small creek on north shore of Lake Somerville near Birch Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, May 6, 2018 Lake Somerville Trailway, Somerville, TX 77879, USA
Dissected weeping milk cap mushrooms Lactarius volemus var. flavus on north shore of Lake Somerville near Birch Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, May 6, 2018 Lake Somerville Trailway, Somerville, TX 77879, USA
Weeping milk cap mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville, Texas, May 26, 2018 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Underside of a weeping milk cap mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville, Texas, May 26, 2018 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Partially dried weeping milk cap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, June 10, 2018 Iron Bridge Trail, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Side view of weeping milk cap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, July 14, 2018 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Weeping milk cap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, July 14, 2018 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Pale milkcap mushrooms Lactarius volemus var. flavus(?) on Little Lake Creek Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Richards, Texas, September 29, 2018 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Gills of milkcap mushrooms Lactarius volemus var. flavus(?) on Little Lake Creek Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Richards, Texas, September 29, 2018 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Weeping milk cap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) on floodplain on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Texas, June 19, 2019 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Weeping milk cap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, June 26, 2019 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Underside of weeping milk cap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, June 26, 2019 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Dissected weeping milk cap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) in in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, June 26, 2019 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 31, 2020 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Dissected fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 31, 2020 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, June 6, 2020 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Underside of fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, June 6, 2020 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Mature fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, June 9, 2020 Iron Bridge Trail, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, June 10, 2020 Iron Bridge Trail, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Dissected fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, June 10, 2020 Iron Bridge Trail, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Milkcap mushrooms Lactarius volemus (Lactifluus volemus var. flavus) together with L. hygrophoroides, in the center, on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, July 10, 2020 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Dissected milkcap mushrooms Lactarius volemus (Lactifluus volemus var. flavus) (together with one L. hygrophoroides) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, July 10, 2020 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Weeping milkcap mushrooms Lactarius volemus var. flavus on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, July 31, 2020 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Weeping milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus var. volemus, Lactifluus volemus) on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, August 1, 2020 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, June 25, 2021 Iron Bridge Trail, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) with cross section in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, June 25, 2021 Iron Bridge Trail, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Upper view of a fishy milkcap mushroom (Lactarius volemus) on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, July 18, 2021 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Cleveland, TX 77328, USA
Side view of a fishy milkcap mushroom (Lactarius volemus) on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, July 18, 2021 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Cleveland, TX 77328, USA
Underside of fishy milkcap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. flavus) near Pole Creek on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 7, 2022 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, United States
Fishy milkcap mushroom (Lactarius volemus var. flavus) near Pole Creek on North Wilderness Trail of Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 7, 2022 Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, United States
Spores of a mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus (spore print white) collected in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 7, 2022
Upper view of a weeping milk cap mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, May 9, 2022 Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States
Underside of a weeping milk cap mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, May 9, 2022 Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States
Gills of a weeping milk cap mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, May 9, 2022 Yaupon Loop Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States
Spores of a milkcap mushroom Lactarius volemus var. flavus collected in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, May 9, 2022
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 18, 2022 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Fishy milkcap mushrooms (Lactarius volemus) with cross section on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 18, 2022 Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Spores of milkcap mushrooms Lactarius volemus collected on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, May 18, 2022
AI-generated summary of observations
The fungus Lactarius volemus was observed in East and Central Texas over a period of four years (2018-2022). The majority of sightings were in Sam Houston National Forest, particularly on the Caney Creek Trail and Lone Star Hiking Trail. The mushrooms were also found in Lick Creek Park and other areas. Observations included various forms of the species, such as weeping milk cap (Lactarius volemus var. flavus) and fishy milkcap (Lactarius volemus). The mushrooms were often found under trees, near creeks, and on floodplains. Spore prints were collected from some specimens, confirming their identity. The observations suggest that Lactarius volemus is a common species in the region, with a wide distribution and varying growth habits. Overall, the observations provide valuable information on the occurrence and characteristics of this fungus in East and Central Texas.