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
