The type-specimens of the African blackening Lactarius-species, L. melanogalus R. Heim, L. baliophaeus Pegler and L. griseogalus R. Heim are examined and compared to recent collections from Zaire, Cameroon, Burundi, Zambia and Tanzania. Lactarius denigricans spec. nov. and L. baliophaeus var. orientalis var. nov. are proposed.