Serushka (Lactarius flexuosus)
Systematics:
- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Russulales
- Family: Russulaceae (Russula)
- Genus: Lactarius (Miller)
- Species: Lactarius flexuosus (Serushka)
- Other names for the mushroom:
- Gray nest
- Milk-gray lilac
- Gray milky
- Seryanka
- Backrest
Other names:
- Winding milky
- Gray nest
- Milk-gray lilac
- Gray milky
- Seryanka
- Backrest
- Plantain
- Path
Serushka (lat.Lactarius flexuosus) is a mushroom of the genus Mlechnik (lat.Lactarius) of the russula family (lat.Russulaceae).
Description A hat 5-10 cm, at first flat, somewhat convex, then funnel-shaped, with a noticeable tubercle in the middle, irregularly curved, with an uneven surface covered with shallow depressions. The edges of the cap are uneven, wavy. The skin is grayish with a lead tint, with darker narrow concentric rings, sometimes invisible. The leg is 5-9 cm in height, ∅ 1.5-2 cm, cylindrical, dense, at first whole, then hollow, the color of the cap or slightly lighter. The plates are thick, sparse, adherent at first, then descending along the pedicle, often sinuous. Spores are yellowish. The pulp is dense, whitish in color, at the break it abundantly releases a watery-white acrid milky juice, which does not change color in air.
Variability Cap color can range from pinkish or brownish gray to dark leaden. The plates can be from light yellow to cream and ocher in color.
Habitat Birch, aspen and mixed forests, as well as in clearings, forest edges and along forest roads.
Season From mid-summer to October.
Similar species Differs from other representatives of the genus Lactarius in rare yellowish plates, uncharacteristic for lactic acid plants.
Nutritional qualities Conditionally edible mushroom, used salted.
Photo of the Serushka mushroom from the questions in recognition:
2019.08.14 Vega 
2019.12.26 Alexander Filippov 
2017.12.11 
2017.07.09 Dmitry
