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A fluid produced by many higher plants and by certain agaric fungi, e.g. the milk caps (Lactarius). It is often white, but may be colourless, reddish, or yellowish. In the fungi the latex is produced in a latex duct consisting of anastomosing hyphae. In green plants latex is stored in laticifers. The fluid contains various substances either in solution or suspension, e.g. alkaloids, starch grains, sugars, mineral salts, etc. In some species there is a high concentration of rubber (caoutchouc) though rubber is limited in occurrence to the dicotyledons. Commercial rubber production utilizes the latex of Brazilian rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) and, on a smaller scale, Indian rubber trees (Ficus elastica). The latex of other species, e.g. Palaquium gutta, gives, on coagulation, gutta-percha. The formation of caoutchouc and gutta-percha appears to be mutually exclusive with no plant yet being found to produce both. Chicle, from the latex of Achras zapota, and balata, from Mimusops balata, are other important latex products.
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