Not every milkcap is a Lactarius

New insights, based on molecular analyses in the Russulaceae, learn us that the traditional two giant agaricoid genera Russula and Lactarius have to be considered in a new generic landscape. Multifurca Buyck & Hofstetter was already proposed as a new genus, grouping some former Russula- and Lactarius-species. Moreover, it has become clear that the remaining bulk of milkcaps actually consists of two disparate groups which both should be treated at the generic level. Since the proposal to conserve Lactarius with a conserved type has been accepted, most of the milkcaps will remain in Lactarius and 20 to 25% of them only will be recombined in Lactifluus. Lactarius was a well recognizable and large genus (with world-wide more than 600 accepted species, but the real number estimated to be at least 800 species). Within this traditional concept, many well recognizable subgroups, often considered as subgenera, are delimited. Most have a worldwide distribution (L. subg. Piperites, L. subg. Plinthogali), but some show a distinct geographical pattern (L. subg. Lactariopsis, L. subg. Lactifluus) or are even limited to one continent (L. subg. Edules in tropical Africa). Not all of the traditional subgenera appear to be supported by the molecular analyses. Other subgroups show to be new and well-supported subgenera (L. subg. Edules and L. subg. Gerardii). In this presentation an overview of the new genera of milkcaps and their respective subgenera is given, thus proposing a new and worldwide classification for the milkcaps. Though the majority of the species is agaricoid, it is clear that the evolution from gymnocarp to angiocarp fruiting bodies occurred several times within this group and that pleurotoid taxa are also included. Their position within the subgenera will be explained.