Conservation Status of Milkcaps (Basidiomycota, Russulales, Russulaceae), with Notes on Poorly Known Species

Abstract

Mycological conservation has finally come of age. The increasingly recognized crucial role played by fungi in ecosystem functioning has spurred a wave of attention toward the status of fungal populations across the world. Milkcaps (Lactarius and Lactifluus) are a large and widespread group of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes; besides their ecological relevance, many species of milkcaps are of socio-economic significance because of their edibility. We analysed the presence of milkcaps in fungal Red Lists worldwide, ending up with an impressive list of 265 species assessed in various threat categories. Lactarius species are disproportionally red-listed with respect to Lactifluus (241 versus 24 species). Two species of Lactarius (L. maruiaensis and L.ogasawarashimensis) are currently considered extinct, and four more are regionally extinct; furthermore, 37 species are critically endangered at least in part of their distribution range. Several problems with the red-listing of milkcaps have been identified in this study, which overall originate from a poor understanding of the assessed species. Wrong or outdated nomenclature has been applied in many instances, and European names have been largely used to indicate taxa occurring in North America and Asia, sometimes without any supporting evidence. Moreover, several rarely recorded and poorly known species, for which virtually no data exist, have been included in Red Lists in some instances. We stress the importance of a detailed study of the species of milkcaps earmarked for insertion in Red Lists, either at national or international level, in order to avoid diminishing the value of this important conservation tool.

Restinga ectomycorrhizae: a work in progress

“…However, a number of initiatives and studies have raised general attention toward the status of fungal populations across the world, increasing awareness and spurring protection actions dedicated to fungi. 107 , 108 Restinga makes no exception, and together with the observation and description of its fungal diversity, it comes the assessment of the conservation status of several ectomycorrhizal taxa. A. viscidolutea , for example, has been reported from a handful of sites, although it is likely to be more widespread.…”

Three New Species of Lactifluus (Basidiomycota, Russulaceae) from Guizhou Province, Southwest China

“…Basidiospores were examined in Melzer’s [ 61 ] reagent and measured in side view. At least 20 mature basidiospores were examined from basidiomata.…”

“…The measurements (and Q values) are given as (a) bec (d), in which “a” is the lowest value, “bec” covers a minimum of 90% of the values, and “d” is the biggest value. “Q” stands for the ratio of the length and width of a spore, and “Q ± av” represents the average Q of all spores ± sample standard deviation [ 61 ]. Other microscopic structures were treated in 5% KOH for 30 s and then observed in 1% Congo Red.…”

“…The sub-region is divided into east and west sub-regions from Yalong River in the north to Nanpan River in the south of Kunming and the Hengduanshan sub-region in the northwest. The terrain structure is mainly plateaus and mountains with complex natural environmental conditions and diverse climates [ 58 ], which make the area rich in biological resources [ 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ]. During numerous macrofungal surveys in the coniferous forests in the Wumeng Mountains of Suiyang County, Guizhou Province, three new Lactifluus species were discovered, based on detailed macro- and micro-morphological observations with descriptions, color photographs, and the sequence analyses of the ITS, LSU, and RPB2 regions.…”

Anticancer and apoptotic effects of a polysaccharide extract isolated from Lactarius chrysorrheus Fr. in HepG2 and PANC-1 cell lines

“…The milk from this mushroom turns white quickly but then changes to a deep yellow color; the top of the cap is a rosy red with concentric rings on a background showing yellow tints. The mushroom is commonly found under broadleaved trees, such as oak [16,17]; it is widely distributed in Turkey, Russia, North America, Mexico and Colombia [18,19]. This mushroom has been listed as edible [20,21].…”