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Lactarius deliciosus is an edible mushroom commonly known as the Saffron Milk Cap or Pine Mushroom or Red Pine Mushroom. It is one of the best known species in the genus Lactarius, found growing in Europe and North America. It is native to southern Pyrenees where it grows under the Mediterranean pines. It grows in acidic soil of conifers and form a mycorrhizal relationship with the host plant.
Lactarius deliciosus has an orange, convex to vase cap, 4-14 cm across, which is inrolled when young, often with darker orange lines in the form of concentric circles. The cap is sticky and viscid when wet, but is often dry. The stipe is hollow and orange in color, 3-8 cm long and 1-2 cm thick. When handled, the mushroom stains a deep green color. When fresh, the mushroom exudes an orange-red latex or "milk" that does not change color.
In North America, Lactarius rubrilacteus is an inedible species which is often confused with Lactarius deliciosus. It also stains green, and exudes a red latex.
Lactarius deliciosus is a widely collected and excellent mushroom, with a crunchy texture. It is a prized mushroom in Russia.
