Читать книгу Appalachian Mushrooms - Walter E. Sturgeon - Страница 15
ОглавлениеRUSSULA
THIS MYCORRHIZAL GENUS is characterized by rather squat mushrooms, often with colorful caps. Most species have very brittle gills that crumble when scratched. Many mushrooms in this genus are red or orange. In Appalachia they lack a partial veil, and no volva is present. Stems tend to snap easily when broken. They are an important food source for a variety of animals, including squirrels, box turtles, and slugs. The species in this genus are common in summer and early fall. There are many species, and no current monograph is available. The Russula species included in this book can be easily identified without a microscope; however, most Russula species require a microscope for identification. Future DNA study will likely reveal many more look-alike species. For those with a microscope and a serious interest in identifying Russula species, the following observations are useful.
Make a collection of young and old mushrooms. Getting a heavy spore deposit and carefully noting the color is important. It will range from white, cream, yellow, or ochre. Gill color is useful, as is the presence or absence of gill forking. How far the cap cuticle peels is another relevant observation. Taste is also a useful identification feature. Lastly, observing color changes with the application of chemical reagents such as iron salts (FeSO4) can help clinch the identification.
Species are keyed out here into two groups: those with brittle gills and those with more elastic gills.
Russula species
Russula species
Russula modesto
Key to Russula
Gills not brittle (determine by scratching; brittle gills will crumble)
1. Gills quickly staining brown when rubbed: Russula compacta (p. 24)
2. Cap with green or purple colors; gills forked toward the margin: Russula variata (p. 25)
3. Gills thick, distant, and waxy: Russula earlei (p. 23)
Gills brittle (determine by scratching; brittle gills will crumble)
1. Cap purplish, with a whitish bloom at first; often mottled with yellow or green: Russula mariae (p. 32)
2. Cap dark red, purplish red to blackish; often fruits early in the season: Russula vinacea (p. 33)
3. Cap with patches of green coloration: Russula parvovirescens (p. 26)
4. Cap yellowish brown; with granules or patches; odor of rancid cooking oil: Russula granulata (p. 28)
5. Cap yellowish brown; lacking granules; odor of almond extract: Russula grata (p. 27)
6. Cap yellow to whitish; stem with rows of yellow scales at the base: Russula ballouii (p. 29)
7. Cap yellow, at times with orange or pink tints; stem bald to pruinose: Russula ochroleucoides (p. 30)
8. Cap white; under conifers; very short stem: Russula brevipes (p. 34)
9. Cap grayish buff to brown; gills pale pink to pinkish cinnamon Russula eccentrica (p. 31)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula earlei Peck
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: Beeswax Russula
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 4-1/2 in. wide; butterscotch yellow, at times with whitish splotches; convex to broadly convex, becoming nearly flat in age; surface slightly viscid when wet; coarse, irregularly pitted, waxy, and with a granular feel; not striate, or becoming faintly so in age; at times wrinkled
FLESH: Whitish to pale yellow, unchanging when cut; waxy; odor not distinctive; taste mild, slightly bitter to slightly acrid
GILLS: Whitish at first, later colored like the cap or slightly paler, at times with reddish-brown stains; attached to the stem; distant; broad; thick; not brittle; waxy; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; white to yellowish, at times with reddish-brown stains; equal or tapering in either direction; surface dry, bald
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; scattered to gregarious in broadleaf and mixed woods, often in litter under oaks and beech; occasional to locally common
EDIBILITY: Unknown
COMMENTS: This is in a line of primitive Russula species. It is a coarse-textured mushroom that looks old even when fresh. The waxy texture resembles that of Hygrophorus and Cuphophyllus species. Compare with Cuphophyllus pratensis (not illustrated), which has decurrent gills and a white, unstaining stem.
Russula earlei
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula compacta Frost
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: Firm Russula
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 6 in. wide; whitish to yellowish buff when young, becoming tan to rusty orange and eventually tawny brown; convex to broadly convex and finally nearly flat with a depressed center; slow to decay; surface slightly tacky, bald
FLESH: White, discoloring to yellowish or reddish brown on exposure; thick, firm, brittle; odor fishy; taste unpleasant or slightly acrid
GILLS: White, quickly staining reddish brown when rubbed; attached to the stem; close to crowded; not brittle; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 4 in. long; whitish at first, soon with reddish-brown areas, staining brown when bruised; sturdy; equal; surface dry, smooth
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal with oaks and other broadleaf and conifer trees; scattered to gregarious in humus or soil in broadleaf and mixed woods and parks; summer and fall; common
EDIBILITY: Not recommended; reported as edible; the author has tried it and found it unpalatable
COMMENTS: The nonbrittle gills, which rapidly stain brown when rubbed, and the fishy odor are key features. When abundant, the fishy odor can be detected while walking through an overripe patch of this mushroom. Lactifluus allardii (p. 50) looks similar but has white latex, which stains greenish.
Russula compacta
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula variata Banning
SYNONYM: Russula cyanoxantha var. variata (Banning) Singer
COMMON NAME: Variable Russula
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 5 in. wide; color extremely variable, usually with some combination of green and purple, also olive green, pinkish, and yellow; convex to broadly convex, becoming flat with a broad central depression; surface smooth or developing small cracks in age; bald; viscid
FLESH: White; thick; brittle; odor not distinctive; taste acrid
GILLS: White to cream, becoming yellowish in age; attached to the stem; crowded; elastic to waxy, not brittle; forking extensively; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; white; equal or tapering slightly in either direction, or at times enlarged mid-stem; becoming hollow at times; surface bald, smooth, dry
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Solitary, scattered, or gregarious in humus and lawns in broadleaf forests and parks, especially under oaks; summer and fall; common
EDIBILITY: Edible; reportedly the acrid taste dissipates when the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked
COMMENTS: The elastic, repeatedly forking gills are a key feature of this variably colored mushroom. The green version here may eventually be described as a different species. Compare with other green species, such as Russula parvovirescens (p. 26) and others, all of which have brittle gills.
Russula variata
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula parvovirescens Buyck, D. Mitch, and Parrent
MISAPPLIED NAME: Russula virescens (Schaeff.) Fr.
COMMON NAME: Green Quilt Brittle-Gill
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 4 in. wide; grayish green to dull bluish green, in a patchwork pattern, at times with yellowish or tan areas, with the ground color paler than the patches; nearly round at first, becoming convex to broadly convex to flat; center depressed at times; surface dry, dull to velvety; not striate, or only at the margin in age
FLESH: White, not discoloring when damaged; firm; solid; brittle; odor and taste not distinctive
GILLS: White to pale cream; attached to the stem, becoming nearly free in age; close; brittle; edges even; partial veil absent
STEM: Up to 2-1/2 in. long; white, discoloring brownish in age or when handled; equal; at times with a hollow cavity; surface bald, dry
SPORE PRINT: Pale cream
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal with conifer and broadleaf trees, especially oaks; solitary, scattered to gregarious in humus in woods and in lawns in parks and cemeteries; summer and fall; common
EDIBILITY: Edible
COMMENTS: Green mushrooms are relatively uncommon, but this one is to be expected every year. It is a favorite of rodents, insects, slugs, and box turtles. Other green Russula species include Russula variata (p. 25), which has forked gills that are not brittle, and Russula aeruginea (not illustrated), which has a smooth cap that does not have a patchwork pattern. Prior to the description of this species, it was referred to as Russula virescens (not illustrated), which is a larger species with a non-striate cap and smaller patches that are not usually blue green.
Russula parvovirescens
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula grata Britzelm
SYNONYM: Russula laurocerasi Melzer
COMMON NAME: Almond-Scented Brittlegill
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 5-1/2 in. wide; dull yellow to brownish yellow, buff in wet conditions; almost round, becoming convex to broadly convex, and finally nearly flat; surface bald, smooth, viscid when wet; markedly striate in age
FLESH: White to yellowish, unchanging when exposed; thick; firm; brittle; odor of almond extract or maraschino cherries, becoming unpleasant in age; taste somewhat acrid
GILLS: Creamy white to yellowish, sometimes with brown stains; brittle; attached to the stem; moderately close; broad; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 4 in. long; white to yellowish white, often with brown stains; surface smooth, bald, dry
SPORE PRINT: Creamy white to yellowish
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; scattered to gregarious in lawns or humus under broadleaf trees in parks and in mixed woods; common
EDIBILITY: Not edible
COMMENTS: Russula fragrantissima (not illustrated) is nearly identical. It tends to be a bit larger and has a foul-smelling odor at maturity and a more acrid or oily taste. Observation of the spore differences are really needed to separate the two. There are reports that there are intermediate collections. It is possible that DNA might reveal that there is only one microscopically variable species. There are other similar species such as Russula foetentula (not illustrated), which has reddish-brown stains on the stem base and at times on the cap surface.
Russula grata
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula granulata Peck
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: Granulated Russula
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 3 in. wide; yellowish brown to tawny, often darkest at the center; convex, becoming flat at times with an uplifted margin; surface with granules and patches, especially over the center; granules can be lighter, darker, or the same color as the cap cuticle; viscid when wet; striate, sometimes obscurely so; margin incurved at first
FLESH: Whitish or pale yellow; brittle; odor resembling stale cooking oil; rancid to unpleasant; taste slowly acrid
GILLS: Whitish to pale yellow; attached to the stem; close; brittle; often forked near the stem; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 2-1/2 in. long; white; base at times with brown stains; equal; surface smooth, dry, and bald
SPORE PRINT: Cream
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; solitary, scattered to gregarious in humus and moss in conifer and mixed woodlands; often under hemlock and beech; also in high altitude forests with spruce and fir; summer and fall; common
EDIBILITY: Not edible
COMMENTS: Compare with Russula grata (p. 27). Other similar species that are not illustrated here are Russula fragrantissima and Russula foetentula. These species lack the cap granules. Russula pulverulenta (not illustrated) has granules on the stem as well as on the cap.
Russula granulata
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula ballouii Peck
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: Ballou’s Russula
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 3 in. wide; yellowish ochre, tawny to rusty, paler at times, the cuticle breaking up into small, scale-like patches revealing a creamy, ground color; convex to broadly convex to flat with a central depression; surface bald, dry; not striate, or only faintly so
FLESH: White, moderately thick; odor not distinctive, mealy, or of bread dough; taste usually acrid but mealy or mild at times
GILLS: White to cream colored at times with yellowish stains in insect damaged areas; attached; close to crowded; moderately broad; brittle; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 1-1/2 in. wide; creamy white above, colored like the cap; equal; solid; surface dry with rows of tawny scales or patches at the base
SPORE PRINT: Cream to very pale yellow
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal with oaks and possibly other broadleaf trees; scattered to gregarious in humus and lawns in parks and woodlands; summer; locally abundant
EDIBILITY: Not edible
COMMENTS: A key distinguishing feature is the base of the stem, which has rows of scale-like patches. Russula compacta (p. 24) has a similarly colored cap. Its gills are not brittle, and they rapidly stain brown when rubbed. Russula grata (p. 27) and several other similar species can easily be separated by their striate caps.
Russula ballouii
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula ochroleucoides Kauffman
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: Yellow Brittle Gill
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 4-1/2 in. wide; golden yellow to pale yellow with an orange tint; convex to broadly convex, becoming flat with a depressed center; surface dry, dull velvety at times; not striate, or obscurely so; occasionally with small cracks in age
FLESH: White to buff, unchanging when exposed; firm; brittle; odor not distinctive, or faintly fragrant; taste slowly bitter or acrid
GILLS: White bruising yellowish or brownish eventually; developing brown spots or stains in age; attached to the stem; brittle; close; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; whitish, at times with yellow or brownish stains; equal; solid becoming spongy; surface bald or minutely pruinose, dry, dull
SPORE PRINT: White to yellowish
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal with oaks and beech; scattered to gregarious in broadleaf woods in humus or on lawns in parks; summer and early fall; common
EDIBILITY: Not edible
COMMENTS: Russula flavida (not illustrated) is similar but is smaller and has a yellow stem.
Russula ochroleucoides
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula eccentrica Peck
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: None
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 5 in. wide; whitish at first, becoming grayish buff to olive buff and finally grayish brown to dark brown; convex to broadly convex and finally flat; surface viscid in wet weather; finely scaly, shiny, or dull
FLESH: Whitish to grayish pink; thick, firm, brittle; odor not distinctive; taste mild or slightly bitter
GILLS: Pale pink to pinkish cinnamon; attached to the stem; very broad; subdistant; with small water droplets at times; numerous short gills; brittle; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; whitish or at times colored like the cap, with pale-brown stains; generally equal or tapering in either direction; surface dry, brittle, bald, or slightly pruinose
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; scattered to gregarious in humus in broadleaf woods, especially under oaks; summer; occasional
EDIBILITY: Unknown
COMMENTS: The fairly large, broad, pinkish gills and white spore print are a unique combination.
Russula eccentrica
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula mariae Peck
SYNONYMS: None
COMMON NAMES: Mary’s Russula, Purple Bloom Brittlegill
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 4 in. wide; purple, at times mottled with yellow or olive colors, or occasionally these colors throughout, center often darkest; convex to broadly convex, becoming flat; surface dry, pruinose, somewhat viscid when wet, velvety with a whitish bloom; only slightly striate in age
FLESH: White, sometimes reddish under the cuticle, unchanging when exposed; thick at the center; odor not distinctive; taste not distinctive, or rarely slightly acrid
GILLS: White to cream or pale yellowish, at times with pinkish edges; attached to the stem; close; brittle; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; colored like the cap, or white flushed with purple or pink, especially toward the base; equal or swollen at the base or mid-stem; surface bald and dry, or slightly tacky
SPORE PRINT: Creamy to pale yellow
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; solitary, scattered, or gregarious in humus or on lawns under broadleaf trees, especially oaks; common
EDIBILITY: Edible
COMMENTS: This is a common, attractive species in lawns or wood edges under oaks. It was described by Charles Horton Peck, a nineteenth- and early twentieth-century mycologist. He named it after his wife.
Russula mariae
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula vinacea Burl.
SYNONYM: Russula krombholtzii Shaffer
COMMON NAME: Blackish Red Brittlegill
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 4-1/2 in. wide; variable in color, purplish red, blackish, dark liver red, at times with pink or yellow tones; convex to broadly convex, becoming nearly flat, at times with a depressed center; surface tacky when fresh and moist; bald; faintly striate at times
FLESH: White, unchanging when damaged; brittle; odor not distinctive; taste mild or slightly acrid
GILLS: White becoming creamy or pale yellow, slowly developing rusty-brown stains in age; attached; close; moderately broad; brittle; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; white, at times becoming grayish and developing rusty-brown spots; equal or tapering upward; surface dry, bald, smooth or slightly wrinkled
SPORE PRINT: White to cream
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; solitary to scattered in humus or moss under broadleaf trees, especially oaks and hickories; spring through fall; fairly common
EDIBILITY: Reported as edible; the author has not tried it
COMMENTS: This is one of the first Russula species to appear in the spring. The often dark-red to blackish cap and early season appearance help distinguish this species from the many other red-capped species in this genus. Identifying red Russula species is a challenge. Most are beyond the scope of this book. See the comments in the introduction to the genus.
Russula vinacea
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Russula brevipes Peck
SYNONYM: None
COMMON NAME: Short-Stalked Brittlegill
FAMILY: Russulaceae
CAP: Up to 8 in. wide; white to cream, often covered with dirt; convex with a central depression at first becoming nearly flat to funnel shaped in age; surface dry, smooth to fibrillose, becoming cracked at times; margin incurved at first and often remaining so into maturity
FLESH: White, at times staining brownish on exposure; firm, brittle; odor not distinctive, or somewhat unpleasant; taste mild to acrid; taste of variety acrior is reportedly very acrid
GILLS: White to creamy or pale yellow, staining reddish brown; subdecurrent; close to crowded; narrow; forking at times; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 2-1/2 in. long; white to cream, staining brownish; nearly equal; solid, becoming hollow; surface dry, bald
SPORE PRINT: White to cream
ECOLOGY: Mycorrhizal; solitary to gregarious in litter, often partially buried, under pines; summer and fall; common
EDIBILITY: Edible, but generally considered mediocre; the author has not tried it
COMMENTS: This species frequently appears mostly submerged in pine duff. It often occurs with Lactifluus deceptivus (p. 41), which looks very similar, but its gills exude latex when damaged. Russula brevipes var. acrior has a blue band at the stem apex and at times shows blue tints on the gills and cap. Compare with other, similar-sized white mushrooms, such as Hygrophorus sordidus (p. 69) and Tricholoma subresplendens (p. 91). These usually occur with oaks and are not associated with pines. There are also similar, less common, whitish species (not included here) in the genera Leucopaxillus and Clitocybe.
Russula brevipes
