''Russula paludosa'' is an edible species of
mushroom
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...
within the large genus ''
Russula
''Russula'' is a very large genus composed of around 750 worldwide species of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms. They are typically common, fairly large, and brightly colored – making them one of the most recognizable genera among mycologists and mushr ...
''. It is common to Europe and North America.
Description
The
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
is convex to depressed and is coloured a distinctive bloody red, pink, crimson or purple. Sometimes it may show a yellowish or orange tinge in the centre. It may measure between 6 and 20 cm in diameter. The
flesh
Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscle
Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as mu ...
is white with a mild taste and without scent; it quickly becomes soft and spongy and also greyish. The crowded
gills
A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...
are cream coloured when young, and become yellow with age. They are adnexed and are generally thin. Their edges may sometimes occur reddish. The
amyloid
Amyloids are aggregates of proteins characterised by a Fibril, fibrillar morphology of 7–13 Nanometer, nm in diameter, a beta sheet (β-sheet) Secondary structure of proteins, secondary structure (known as cross-β) and ability to be Staining, ...
, elli
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...
s measure 8–10 by 7–10
μm
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...
are warty and are covered by an incomplete mesh. The
stem
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure
* Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
is white, sometimes with a pink hue, slightly clubbed. It may measure 5 to 15 cm in height and up to 3 cm in diameter.
Distribution, ecology and habitat
''R. paludosa'' is
mycorrhizal
A mycorrhiza (from Greek μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant. The term mycorrhiza refers to the role of the fungus in the plan ...
and occurs in
coniferous woodlands and in peat bogs of Europe and North America; preferably under
pine
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
trees, where it forms mycorrhizae. Locally it can be very common.
Edibility
The mushroom is edible and is a common good in
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
markets.
Yet it may easily be mistaken for ''
Russula emetica
''Russula emetica'', commonly known as the sickener, emetic russula, or vomiting russula, is a basidiomycete mushroom, and the type species of the genus ''Russula''. It has a red, convex to flat cap up to in diameter, with a cuticle that can be ...
'', which is poisonous.
See also
*
List of ''Russula'' species
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
Russula paludosa in First Nature*
*
paludosa
Fungi of Europe
Fungi of North America
Edible fungi
Fungi described in 1891
Taxa named by Max Britzelmayr
{{russulales-stub