The mushroom ''Russula gracillima'', commonly known as the slender brittlegill, is a member of the genus ''
Russula'', whose members are commonly known as brittlegills. It is a small, pale, long stemmed brittlegill associated mainly with
birch and is occasional in
Europe,
Asia, and
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
Taxonomy
It was first described by the German mycologist
Jacob Christian Schaeffer
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Ja ...
during the 18th century. The
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
comes from the
Latin adjective ''gracilis'', meaning thin, or slender.
Description
The
cap is 2–6 cm in diameter. Usually it is dull greenish or olive at the centre, and with a pink margin, although it can be solely either of these colours, or sometimes pale violet. At first, it is convex, but later flattens, and sometimes has a small central boss (umbo). The cap skin peels from one third to a half, and more mature specimens often have a furrowed margin. The fragile, white or pale greyish-rose
stipe is long for the size of the cap. The
gills are slightly decurrent, and pale cream giving a
spore print of the same colour. They have no nicks, or notches on their free edges. The
flesh is white and tastes moderately hot.
Similar species are ''
Russula betularum
''Russula betularum'' is a small, very pale member of the ''Russula'' (brittlegills) genus of mushrooms. It is usually white to very pale pink, inedible, and grows with birch trees. It is commonly known as the birch brittlegill.
Taxonomy
The s ...
'' which is frequently found near
birch trees, and although usually paler can be mistaken for washed out specimens of ''R. racillima''. Also, ''
Russula fragilis
''Russula fragilis'', commonly known as the fragile russula, or fragile brittlegill, is a species of mushroom of the genus '' Russula'', whose members are commonly known as brittlegills. It is a small, fragile, long stemmed, and variably coloure ...
'' is very similar, and grows in the same locations. It is usually darker, and more purplish, and has nicks (serrations) on the gill edges which are distinctive under a hand lens.
Distribution and habitat
''Russula gracillima'' appears occasionally in summer to late autumn,
[ usually growing in small groups with birch, or sometimes willow in damp places.]North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
Edibility
The edibility of ''Russula gracilis'' is unknown.[
]
See also
* List of ''Russula'' species
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q148100
Fungi described in 1931
Fungi of Europe
Fungi of North America
Fungi of Asia
gracillima
Fungus species