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Russula rubescens [ Basidiomycetes > Russulales > Russulaceae > Russula . . . ] by Michael Kuo Among the red russulas, Russula rubescens is distinguished by the fact that it "blushes"; its flesh and stem surface turn reddish when sliced or bruised. And among the blushing russulas, it is distinctive in its pale, mottled red cap and habitat under eastern hardwoods. Like many blushers in the Russula world and elsewhere, Russula rubescens turns slowly blackish after blushing, though the change may take as much as an hour to manifest (see illustrations). Edibility is not known for Russula rubescens. However, several other red russulas are poisonous, and at least one other blushing russula is poisonous. All things considered, Russula rubescens is probably best avoided. Description: Ecology: Mycorrhizal with hardwoods; growing alone, scattered, or gregariously; summer and fall; eastern North America. Cap: 4-10 cm; broadly convex when young, later flat or broadly convex; dry; more or less smooth; dull red, mottled with whitish, yellowish, or olive areas; fading; the margin not lined or lined faintly and widely. Gills: Attached or running very slightly down the stem; close or nearly distant; rarely forking; white to cream, eventually yellowish. Stem: 3-7 cm long; 1-2.5 cm thick; more or less equal; dry; smooth; whitish at first, later discolored grayish; bruising reddish (see the right-hand specimen in the top illustration), then blackish over the course of as much as an hour. Flesh: White; bruising promptly or slowly reddish on exposure, then blackish over the course of as much as an hour (see bottom illustrations). Taste: Mild; odor not distinctive. Spore Print: Pale yellow. Microscopic Features: Spores 7-10 x 6-8 µ; with warts to 1.5 µ high; without amyloid ridges, or with only a few; widely elliptical to nearly round. REFERENCES: Beardslee, 1914. (Kauffman, 1918; Phillips, 1991/2005.) Herb. Kuo 08050307. Further Online Information: Russula rubescens at Roger's Mushrooms |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2005, January). Russula rubescens. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/russula_rubescens.html |