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Lactarius pubescens · baltagauris piengrybis

  • downy milkcap
  • Flaumige Birken-Milchling, Flaumige Milchling
  • baltagauris piengrybis
  • bālais vilnītis, lauka vilnītis, baltais vilnītis
  • mleczaj omszony

It is attractive milkcap that grows, as so many of the larger milkcaps do, under birch trees. Pale colouring and woolly cap margin are useful distinguishing features. Lactarius pubescens is also found throughout much of mainland Europe and in many parts of North America mainly in damp grassland. Always associated with birch trees, this is a mushroom that is rarely seen, but where it does occur there are sometimes a dozen or more in a group.

Although it is valued for its peppery flavour and eaten after suitable preparation or salted and pickled in Finland and Eastern Europe, the species is highly irritating to the digestive system when eaten raw. The toxins, also responsible for the strongly bitter or acrid taste, are destroyed by cooking. Some authorities suggest that the Downy Milkcap should be treated as poisonous.

Auga liepos–rugsėjo mėnesiais žolėtuose miškų pakraščiuose, pamiškėse, krūmynuose, ypač beržynuose. II kategorijos, valgomas grybas, tinkamas valgyti sūdytas arba marinuotas. Lietuvoje gana dažnas.