RUSSULA

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RUSSULA. 001-001

In the RUSSULALES there are not only the many gilled Russula and Lacyarius species, but there are also crusts, toothed fungi, stereums, hypogeous fungi, coral fungi and polypores. Most are mycorrhizal, but some are sabrobes or parasites. (Heterobasidium annosum is a conifer pathogen). All of these have in common with russulas and lactarius - amyloid spores - turn blue in Meltzer’s reagent, which is mostly iodine. 002-001

RUSSULA Basic Characters. 003-001

The sphaerocysts explain why russulas and lactarius are so fragile a break like a piece of chalk. (The Compacte group are exceptions) Photo on left from Ton Volk’s Fungus of the Month for June 2000. 004-001

RUSSULAS are mycorrhizal. 005-001

We see more russulas than any other kind of mushroom, yet are least able to identify them to species. Mycologists avoid them, too, because so many look like each other. Unfortunately, it is necessary to use detailed diagnostic features to determine the species of most russulas - including use of the microscope and chemicals. 006-001

RUSSULA Sections. 007-001

RUSSULA. 008-001

RUSSULA Compactae Characteristics. 009-001

Inedible. Odor becomes fishy and unpleasant as the mushroom matures. White s.p. Very common east of Rockies. 011-001

Short foot. Often has debris in cap. Can be easily confused with Lactarius deceptivus & Lactarius piperatus, which lactate and L. piperatus has a longer stem. 012-001

Sometimes also called R. nigricans, a European mushroom which may or may not be here. Takes about a half-hour to turn from red to black. 013-001

No waxy feel to cap - more felty. Turns from white to brownish.Unlike R. dissimulans, the cap peels about half-way. Russula adusta is similar-looking to R. densifolia, but more brownish. Found under pines. 014-001

This is not R. Albonigra, though like it - it bruises black without going through a red stage. Albonigra is seen more on west coast than east. It is a large mushroom with decurrent gills. 015-001

SECTION Decolorantes. 016-001

SECTION Decolorantes characters. 017-001

SECTION Decolorates examples. 018-001

Copper orange cap - cuticle doesn’t easily peel Gills frequently forked by stem. Light Yellow spore print Like the (reddening then) blackening white russulas, it’s flesh is firm. The graying or blackening is not immediate. 019-001

Egg-yoke yellow cap, leaving a depression in center of mature FB Slightly sticky, leaving debris on cap Fruity odor Caps peels half-way Can be confused with R. ochroleuca, which doesn’t gray and grows mainly with conifers. 020-001

It may take up to an hour for a scrape to turn black. Cuticle peels half-way. Pale yellow spore print. 021-001

SECTION Ingratae. 022-001

SECTION Ingratae characters. 023-001

RUSSULA ventricosipes. 024-001

Easily confused with R. fragrantissima, which may or may not be a separate species. Sticky, depression, deeply striate margin. 025-001

RUSSULA fragrantissima. 026-001 Click on the first slide to see an enlarged version and to progress through the presentation.

RUSSULA foetentula. 027-001

SECTION Rigidae. 028-001

SECTION Rigidae characters. 029-001

SECTION Rigidae examples. 030-001

Used to be called R. virescens, a European mushroom . The virescens-crustosa group includes at least 12 different species in eastern N.A. Until they all are named, we will continue to call some of them virescens. Also confused with R. aeruginea, which is sticky in center. 031-001

RUSSULA crustosa. 032-001

Russula cyanoxantha (European name) is very similar in green and purple colors, but has less conspicuous forking (only at stipe, if at all; and has a mild taste, grows with both hardwoods and conifers. Both R. variata and R. cyanoxantha have a white spore print. 033-001

RUSSULA modesta. 034-001

Russula claroflava grays. It is sticky. R. flavida is dry and velvety. Cuticle peels half-way. Gills are white becoming cream to yellowish. 035-001

Gills white bcmg cream Spore print cream to pale yellow Edible. Cuticle peels more than half-way. 036-001

Can be confused with R. sanguinea (European name) - found under conifers and is more common to west coast than east coast. Russula peckii is not edible. 037-001

SECTION Russula. 038-001

SECTION Russula characters. 039-001

SECTION Russula examples. 040-001

Spore print white. Taste hot. 041-001

Extremely bitter. Odor mildly fruity. Cuticle peels 3/4 of way. Appears in late summer and autumn. 042-001

Self-quiz. 043-001

Emetica group: hot to very acrid, shiny smooth cap, somewhat tacky, colors fade with age, extremely fragile. 044-001

Decolorantes group - stain grayish to blackish. 045-001

Rigidae Group - colorful, matte caps, mild taste. 046-001

The foetid russulas have an almond-cherry odor that becomes foetid. The cap is viscid-tacky and tuberculate striate. 047-001

Compacte - group. 048-001