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Lactarius deliciosus

Lactarius deliciosus

7.6
A mushroom with an orange cap and orange liquid that grows under pine trees and is safe to eat
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Lactarius deliciosus
  • The orange latex distinguishes Lactarius deliciosus from similar-looking species in the wild.

Examples

  • Many foragers consider the Lactarius deliciosus to be a prized edible mushroom.

  • Chefs in Spain often sauté Lactarius deliciosus with garlic and herbs.

  • I found a Lactarius deliciosus in the forest.

  • Have you ever cooked with Lactarius deliciosus?

  • Many foragers consider the Lactarius deliciosus to be a prized edible mushroom.

  • Chefs in Spain often sauté Lactarius deliciosus with garlic and herbs.

  • The orange latex distinguishes Lactarius deliciosus from similar-looking species in the wild.

Surface Forms

Morphology

Lactarius + deliciosus

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name rather than a compositional English phrase; its reference to a particular mushroom species is not derivable from the surface parts. Even if a learner recognises the Latin root 'deliciosus' as related to 'delicious', 'Lactarius' is a taxonomic genus name and the species meaning (orange-capped edible mushroom) is not predictable for a B1 learner from the constituents alone.

Etymology

Lactarius deliciosus comes from Latin words. Lactarius means 'milk' because the mushroom gives out orange 'milk' when you cut it, and deliciosus means 'delicious', so the name shows it is a tasty, milky mushroom.