Any ideas on the type of mushroom these are........as the cap enlargens it becomes more convex.......a dry almost tacky feel to it. Water will settle in it without obsorbing into it. Only found a couple in groupings...usually solo. Largest has been almost 6 inches across. Found in mix forest....Missouri River bluffs in Kansas. No spore print taken but odor is 'mushroomy' (detailed i know...lol)
Lactarius caps often show that kind of circular zoning - do the gills exude any latex? "True gills" exclude chanterelles - the hymenium forms gill-like "folds" rather than gills. Clitocybe caps often funnel like that. The stem looks very diagnostic - I expect you'll get an immediate ID from someone familiar with this critter.
No latex...was the first thing I checked after my recent discoveries.... Have I mentioned? Peppery Milky's are WELL named???
In the fall we found several Lactarius scrobiculatus, the only mushroom I've ever seen with a stem like the mushroom in your photo. You might want to look at this, and at other mushrooms species with scrobiculate stems, or perhaps with scrobiculatus in the name. If it does turn out to be a Lactarius, maybe the specimen was too old or dry for the latex to form? I agree - I found a peppery tasting Lactarius last month and it took awhile for the taste to leave :-) But hey I'll take that over yesterday's bleach-smelling Mycena :-)
I'll be going back here in a few to find the specimins again.........I think we may have a match with that. The one I found and DID cut didn't lactate? But it's the only one that I DID cut.......so I'll go see if any of them actually do. I do remember the 'fruity' scent now that I think of it..........but...again...I'll go back and take more notes to be sure on these. The peppery caps? I am STILL greatful I was carrying some candy on me but was still amusing as I was hopping up and down gasping a bit when some fellow hikers came around a curve and saw me there........they seemed to think I was crazy when I told them NOT to try those mushrooms....lol Interesting about the 'bleach scented'.......I've heard of those? But...I think I'll pass on that scent..just the looks...lol Thanx again Frog!
Given your location and the forest type, two strong possibilities are the Lactarius psammicola/zonarius group and Lactarius maculatipes. http://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_psammicola.html http://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_maculatipes.html . . . Probably the former, since the cap is so zonate. Best wishes, Michael
Definately the Lactarius maculatipes...the first time I came across I guess I missed the tiny beads of yellow.......expecting them to be white most likely. Today the specimins I encountered all had the almost flourescent yellow beading. Thanx!