Description
L. piperatus has a cap that varies from 6–16 cm (2.4–6.4 in) across and is convex with a widely funnel-shaped centre. The cap is creamy-white in colour, glabrous and not glossy; its surface may become cracked in dry locales. The stipe is white in colour, smooth, 3–7 cm (1.4–2.8 in) long by 2–3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) thick and is cylindrical, sometimes tapering towards the base. There is a thick layer of firm white flesh, and the decurrent gills are particularly crowded and narrow, sharing the white colouration of the stem but becoming creamy with age. As with other species of Lactarius, there is abundant milk (latex), which is white, and dries olive-green. It has a white spore print with elongate, elliptic or amyloid spores which are ornamented, as with L. vellereus. The spores measure from 6.5–9.5 by 5–8 μm, and have tiny warts.
L. vellereus is larger with a thick stipe, woolly cap and less crowded gills, but is not as tall. Russula delica is similar in colour and shape, though has adnate blue-green tinged gills and no milk. L. deceptivus is also similar, but is differentiated by its less crowded gills, firmer cap margin and less acrid milk. Variants of L. piperatus include L. piperatus var. glaucescens, sometimes known as L. glaucescens, which is differentiated by its milk, which dries a greenish colour.
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