Large grey cap Lactarius

[1left]

Noticed a few of these large grey capped Lactarius mushrooms tonight, these I don't recall seeing in my travels though I'm in a new area. This is a patchy mixed forest of conifers and young birch and poplars, wet with some mossy spots. This mushroom is thick fleshed, close to 5 inches across the cap, it resembles photos I've seen of Lactarius uvidus though this one isn't staining purple? These large grey Lactarius mushrooms look familiar to anyone?

[Dave W]

Do these smell like coconut? if so, then L. hibbardae looks like a possibility. Also known as L. mammosus. I find this type in mossy areas where birch or conifers are present.

http://mushroomobserver.org/114798?q=2A3LV

http://mushroomobserver.org/112124?q=2A3LV

http://mushroomobserver.org/26394?q=c28J

[1left]

Usually our coconut scented Lactarius are much smaller up here though they are real common and after seeing a few of your photos of L mammosus it appears to be a good match. No scent was detected last night and none present since dried though I noticed from previous experience with the small ones the coconut scent is very noticeable to very faint according to possibly the weather or location. So this is likely just a few very large L mammosus for my area. Thanks Dave W

[Dave W]

5" cap diameter is larger than I've seen for mammosus/hibardae. And, my memory tells me that this type always has the pleasant coconut odor. So maybe this is something else. Cap color and gills sure look like mammosus. But like you say 1left, weather can affect traits. Also, this is earlier than I usually see mammosus. So maybe the early ones are a little different than the ones found in cooler weather.

[1left]

Thanks Dave W, I did find a few of the smaller version a few days later 20 miles north with the very noticeable coconut scent and the gill coloring and general look are very much the same as the scentless large ones I found above. Hoping to find the large and small together somewhere.