Shiner Milkcap
Lactarius uvidus
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Russulales
Family
Russulaceae
Genus
Lactarius
Shiner Milkcap belongs to the family Russulaceae, order Russulales, within the Agaricomycetes class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Shiner Milkcap faces severe threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and forest fragmentation, which destroys the specific mycorrhizal relationships essential for its survival. Climate change is altering forest conditions and disrupting the delicate ecological balance required for this fungus to fruit and reproduce. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority, but declining populations reflect the vulnerability of specialized forest fungi to environmental changes.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Deciduous and mixed forests, particularly those dominated by birch and other hardwood species, where it forms mycorrhizal associations with tree roots. The species typically occurs in moist, nutrient-rich forest soils and woodland edges in temperate regions.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Shiner Milkcap faces severe threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and forest fragmentation, which destroys the specific mycorrhizal relationships essential for its survival. Climate change is altering forest conditions and disrupting the delicate ecological balance required for this fungus to fruit and reproduce. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority, but declining populations reflect the vulnerability of specialized forest fungi to environmental changes.
Climate change impacts on forest ecosystems
Deforestation and habitat loss
Disruption of mycorrhizal host relationships
Forest fragmentation
Air pollution and acid deposition
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Shiner Milkcap (Lactarius uvidus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/shiner-milkcap