Sooty Spruce Lactarius
Lactarius lignyotellus · Family Russulaceae · Updated October 2026
61US records
11states
Sepbusiest month
61 US records since 1945 (4 in the last 10 years)
Last seen Sep 23, 2023 (about 3 years ago) in Yancey County, NC, a preserved specimen in University of Tennessee Fungal Herbarium. Most US records come from Washington, West Virginia and North Carolina, and the busiest months are Sep, Oct and Aug. (Data as of October 26, 2026; records can lag by weeks.)
⚠ Never eat a wild mushroom based on this site. We show where fungi have been recorded, nothing more. We never say any mushroom is edible or safe, and you shouldn't decide that from any website, app or photo. Many deadly mushrooms look like harmless ones. If someone may have eaten a wild mushroom, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
Lookalike warning. Many mushrooms, including deadly ones, closely resemble each other, and the only reliable identification comes from an expert looking at the actual specimen (often with spore prints or microscopy). Never use a name, photo or record count on this page to decide what something is.
When it's recorded
Records by month, all years. Busiest: Sep, Oct, Aug.
Where it's recorded
Top counties
- Snohomish County, WA (17) · latest Sep 13, 1992
- Pocahontas County, WV (5) · latest Jun 21, 2000
- King County, WA (4) · latest Sep 8, 1975
- Sevier County, TN (3) · latest Sep 10, 1985
- Yancey County, NC (3) · latest Sep 23, 2023
- Pierce County, WA (3) · latest Oct 22, 1972
- Randolph County, WV (2) · latest Aug 22, 2001
- Webster County, WV (2) · latest Aug 25, 2004
- Swain County, NC (2) · latest Jul 17, 2015
- Grays Harbor County, WA (2) · latest Oct 29, 1992
More on this species from GBIF.
Bring along
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Regional mushroom field guideSee on Amazon🍄
Folding mushroom knife with brushSee on Amazon🍄
Wicker foraging basketSee on Amazon🍄
10x hand lens / loupeSee on Amazon🍄
Spore print paperSee on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.