Brittlegills
(Russula spp.)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
Brittlegills are mostly large and are often brightly colored. Mature fruiting bodies have a flat or depressed cap that is often wider than the stalk is long. The stalk is straight, not bulbous at the base. The flesh is usually white. The gills are white when young but may yellow with age. The fruiting body is rigid and the flesh is dry or granular. The stalk, cap, and gills are all dry, rigid, and brittle. This is the feature that gives the genus its common name. The stem on many species will snap cleanly and audibly like a piece of chalk. With experience, it is often easy to identify a mushroom in the Russula genus by appearance alone. However, fewer than three dozen are easily identified to the species level. Identifying the others requires a microscope and chemical compounds. For this reason, mushroomers sometimes disparagingly refer to them as JARs, “Just Another Russula." |
Distribution |
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Sources Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/27/2025). |
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| 7/27/2025 | ||
Taxonomy |
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Kingdom |
Fungi (fungi) |
Subkingdom |
Dikarya |
Division |
Basidiomycota (club fungi) |
Subdivision |
Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms) |
Class |
Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies) |
Subclass |
Agaricomycetidae |
Order |
Russulales |
Family |
Russulaceae (milkcaps, brittlegills, and allies) |
Subordinate Taxa |
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Almond-scented Russula (Russula fragrantissima) Almond-scented Russula (Russula grata) Beautiful Russula (Russula pulchra) Bicolored Russula (Russula bicolor) Blackening Brittlegill (Russula nigricans) Blackening Russula (Russula albonigra) Blackish-red Russula (Russula vinacea) Blood Red Russula (Russula rosacea) Bloody Brittlegill (Russula sanguinea) Blue-green Cracking Russula (Russula parvovirescens) brittlegill (Russula amoenicolor) brittlegill (Russula aurata) brittlegill (Russula cerolens) brittlegill (Russula flavisiccans) brittlegill (Russula foetentula) brittlegill (Russula pulverulenta) brittlegill (Russula romagnesiana) Camembert Brittlegill (Russula amoenolens) Charcoal Burner (Russula cyanoxantha) Charcoal Burner (Russula cyanoxantha var. variata) Copper Brittlegill (Russula decolorans) Crowded Brittlegill (Russula densifolia) Emetic Russula (Russula silvicola) Fishbiscuit Russula (Russula compacta) Fragile Brittlegill (Russula fragilis) Green Brittlegill (Russula aeruginea) Green Quilt Russula (Russula crustosa) Green Russula (Russula aeruginea) Milk-white Brittlegill (Russula delica) Ochre Brittlegill (Russula ochroleuca) Primrose Brittlegill (Russula sardonia) Purple-bloom Russula (Russula mariae) Redhead Russula (Russula rhodocephala) Rosy Brittlegill (Russula rosea) Shellfish-scented Russula (Russula xerampelina) Short-stemmed Russula (Russula brevipes) Small Yellow Russula (Russula lutea) Stinking Brittlegill (Russula foetens) Tardy Brittlegill (Russula cessans) Variable Russula (Russula variata) Viscid Brittlegill (Russula viscida) Winter Russula (Russula cremoricolor) Yellow Swamp Brittlegill (Russula claroflava) |
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Synonyms |
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Bucholtzia Dixophyllum Lactarelis Omphalomyces Phaeohygrocybe Russulina |
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Common Names |
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Brittlegills |
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Visitor Photos |
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Rochelle Quick |
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numerous found in patch, measuring 5-7 inches across. |
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Luciearl |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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Red Russula mushrooms |
About
Feb 24, 2021 How to recognize Russula mushrooms. Russula is a genus with 700+ species, many of which are red or pink. Learn how to ID Russulas to genus and figure out whether or not to eat them. |
Identification of Russula Mushrooms |
About
Feb 17, 2020 Heres a look at a very common genus of mushrooms. Russula, which have many color variants on the cap. Some edible, some poisonous, and some still yet to be discovered. Also, check out lots more foraging and herbalism videos, articles, and upcoming classes at www.returntonature.us |
Wild Mushroom Foraging in the Woodlands - Russula Series |
About
Nov 15, 2014 Foraging for the best of ingredients. Fraser is currently developing a catering and/or supply business which is primarily vegetarian, with meat dishes that can be served on the side. www.alittlebitontheside.co.uk A CAN FILM for WoodlandsTV https://www.facebook.com/filminthecan |
Visitor Sightings |
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| Rochelle Quick 7/21/2023 |
Location: southern Beltrami County numerous found in patch, measuring 5-7 inches across. |
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| AGShep 9/2/2022 |
Location: Isanti County my backyard |
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| Luciearl 9/10/2021 |
Location: Cass County |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 10/2/2021 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |