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RUSSULA
RUSSULA DELICA Fr. Edible
Figure 68, page 28
PILEUS 3-6 in. broad, fleshy, firm, at first convex and umbilicate, becoming
deeply depressed to infundibuliform, dull white or with rusty-brown stains,
glabrous or very finely hairy, dry, margin at first involute, becoming arched,
not striate, flesh compact, firm, white or whitish, not changing color when
bruised, mild to slowly and slightly acrid, lamellae adnate-decurrent, sub-
distant, alternating long and short, few forked, white or whitish, sometimes
greenish on edge, stipe %-2 in. long, j/^-% in. thick, short, stout, equal or
tapering downward, white, not turning blackish when bruised, usually with a
pale green zone at the apex, glabrous to subtomentose. spores subglobose,
white in mass, rough 8.5-11 X 7-9 n, ornamented with rather coarse warts,
mostly joined by fine lines or forming short ridges, partly reticulate.
Gregarious on the ground in conifer or frondose woods. July-Oct.
At first sight this species suggests a Lactarius, but it has no latex. It is
fairly common and is often found pushing up earth or old leaves and partly
concealed by them. The greenish zone at the apex of the stipe, though often
inconspicuous, can be observed by turning the fruit body in the fight and it
makes a good field character. Collectors on the west coast should beware of a
species resembling R. delica but smaller and with the lamellae equal, not
alternating long and short. This is R. vesicatoria Burl, and it is excruciatingly
acrid and may cause blistering of the lips and tongue if tasted.
Another characteristic Russula of the west coast is R. crassotunicata
Singer which is found growing under devil's-club and is a white species that
stains brown. It is slightly acrid and its edible quafities appear to be unknown.
RUSSULA DENSIFOLIA (Seer.) Gill. Edible
Figures 93, 94, page 49
PILEUS 2-4 in. broad, convex-umbificate becoming depressed to subin-
fundibuliform, firm and rigid, dull whitish at first, becoming smoky brown,
slightly viscid, glabrous, margin even, flesh thick, firm, white, slowly turning
reddish then black when cut or bruised, mild to slowly and shghtly acrid.
LAMELLAE adnatc to shghtly decurrent, close to crowded, rather narrow,
whitish or grayish, when bruised becoming reddish then black, stipe 1%lyi
in. long, 1/^-1 in. thick, equal or tapering below, glabrous, whitish, becom-
ing reddish then black when bruised, soHd. spores broadly ellipsoid, white,
7-9 (10) X 5.5-8.5 /z, ornamented with fine warts which are joined by a network
of fine fines.
Usually sofitary or gregarious on ground in woods from July-Sept.
This species is distinguished from R. nigricans principally by the close to
crowded lamellae and from R. sordida by the appearance of red color in the
wounded flesh before it becomes black. The color change is sometimes slow
and the red color is transitory so it must be watched for carefully.
It is said to be edible but is unattractive in appearance.
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