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Lactifluus flammans is a milkcap of African miombo and open woodland, recorded in six countries. Its food use and safety are not established by the sources here.
Lactifluus flammans is an ectomycorrhizal milkcap in the family Russulaceae, known in English as the African milkcap. The EFTA species entry gives Lactarius flammans Verbeken (1995) as its synonym and cites Mycotaxon 120: 445 (2012) for the current name.
The distribution section lists Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Malawi, Niger, Togo and Zambia. The entry describes the species as ectomycorrhizal with Isoberlinia, Afzelia, Brachystegia and Julbernardia, growing in open forest and miombo woodland.
The latex is described as having a sweet, hazelnut-like taste, a morphological note rather than a culinary one. The entry separates it from Lactifluus volemoides, which is bright orange and whose latex turns pale red to brownish on drying, unlike the latex of L. flammans, which does not change. It also contrasts L. gymnocarpus, which has dark brown latex.
The catalogue records the species as a regional milkcap listed in an institutional inventory of edible species. The EFTA entry itself does not describe edibility, preparation or food use, and gives no safety caution.
Nothing on this page establishes that the mushroom is safe to eat or how it should be prepared. Milkcaps are hard to separate from their look-alikes, and the entry's own contrasts show why identification needs a specialist.
Distribution only; the entry does not describe food use here. Reason: the page gives distribution, not use.
Distribution only; the entry does not describe food use here. Reason: the page gives distribution, not use.
Distribution only; the entry does not describe food use here. Reason: the page gives distribution, not use.
Distribution only; the entry does not describe food use here. Reason: the page gives distribution, not use.
Distribution only; the entry does not describe food use here. Reason: the page gives distribution, not use.
Distribution only; the entry does not describe food use here. Reason: the page gives distribution, not use.
The African Caesar-group mushroom, Amanita masasiensis, is a wild ectomycorrhizal species of central and southern African woodlands, eaten locally. The genus contains deadly poisonous species, so identification needs care.
Parkia biglobosa seeds are fermented into regional West African seasonings, including nététou, iru, dawadawa and soumbala. The yellow fruit pulp is a separate food, and names and methods vary by place.
Afrocastellanoa ivoryana is a truffle-like false truffle of African woodlands, ectomycorrhizal with woodland trees and recorded as a regional wild food in West and Central Africa.
Amanita afrospinosa is a white, warted Amanita of miombo woodland in southern and central Africa. A regional food-use record exists, but the Amanita genus includes deadly species, so no safe use is established here.
Amanita loosei is a large wild Amanita of tropical African miombo and open woodland, gathered and sold as a valued seasonal food. Regional food-use evidence is not a guide to identifying wild mushrooms.
Calotropis procera preparations are documented as coagulants for wagashi gassirè in Benin and wara in Nigeria. Crude plant materials differ from purified research enzymes, and current evidence does not support a general home preparation.
A tropical African puffball recorded in West African range accounts and Ethiopian edible-mushroom studies. Ethiopian use evidence is qualified; Benin identification and safety remain unresolved.
A defined Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, 2Y48P22, was screened in 2010 for softening cassava in lafun experiments. It is an experimental candidate, not a household starter with a verified method.
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EFTA online species entry (Meise Botanic Garden credit)Taxonomy · Distribution · Look alikes
Lactifluus flammansSynonym Lactarius flammans Verbeken (1995)
Distribution in six countries
Ectomycorrhizal associations and miombo habitat
Latex and look-alike contrasts
Cited in: Overview; Where it grows; Identifying features and look-alikes; Food use and safety