Blue milk mushroom

Blue milk mushroom

Blue milk mushroom

Common names: Indigo milk cap, Blue milk mushroom

Scientific name: Lactarius indigo

Distribution:
This species of fungi is found growing naturally in Southern and Eastern America, parts of Mexico and Guatemala.

Description:
These fungi are best identified by their funnel shaped fruiting body.
The color of these ranges from dark blue in fresh specimens, turning bluish-gray as they grow old . The latex oozing out of the cut tissues is indigo in color, hence it is commonly called as Blue Milk Mushroom.
They are seen as zonate marked with concentric circles.
An interesting fact about them is that they form mycorrhizal association with many trees, thus setting an example to the phrase
‘living together’. They form associations with tree roots, and thus both of them are benefited.

Indigo milk cap

Importance:

1. It is an edible mushroom with a bitter and peppery taste;
2. The latex or the blue’ milk ‘ is used to add color to the lemonades;
3. The trees showing mycorrhizal association help in the reclamation of waste lands.