Key to Gilled Mushrooms KeyThis is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.
Russulales SuborderFlesh without fibers, fracturing with the same sort of break as a piece of chalk
Spore and gill color limited to white, yellow, or ochre
Mycorrhizal: occuring only on the ground, and only when there are trees nearby
No ring or volva on stalk
All fleshy-stemmed mushrooms whose gills exude a latex when cut go here
Russula GenusNo latex
Cap usually brighter colored than Lactarius
Stalk usually white or tinged with color of cap
Green Russula SubgenusCap at least partially green or olive, with no purple coloration
Try yellowish olive-capped specimens here first, before trying Yellow or Brown Russula
Cracked Green Russula Section
Diagnosis
- Cap cuticle crustose; sometimes with colored in areas (or even entirely) with brownish buff, yellowish, rarely lilac or bluish green
-
Peeling 1/2 of the way to the center
-
Flesh firm (until tunneled)
Comments
The most reliable way to distinguish the two species in this group is by the spore print and the presence (or absence) of pleurocystidia
Narrow down your identification:
Russula crustosaCap up to 4" across; sometimes with blue-green or lilac tones
Spore print pale buff
Stem not discoloring
Russula virescensCap up to 4 3/4" across; greener than Russula crustosa, with buff and cream tones; margin slightly striate
Stem browning slightly in age or when bruised
Spore print white
Usually under beech
