Green Russula

Description

The green russula is a fleshy russula with a cap 6–15 cm across in grey-green and verdigris shades. Its most characteristic feature is the cracked, "checkered" surface of the cap, divided into green patches, matt and without gloss. The gills are white to pale cream, the stem white, thick and solid, sometimes with rusty spots at the base.

It grows from July to September in deciduous and mixed forests, under oaks, beeches and birches, singly or a few at a time.

Warning: young specimens whose patches have not yet cracked can be confused with the deadly poisonous death cap. Always dig up the whole base of the stem: the death cap has a ring, a bulb and a sac-like volva, and the russula has none of them. If you are not sure, do not collect or eat it.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 6–15 cm; globose or barrel-shaped when young, later hemispherical-arched, finally spread out, often with a central depression. Colour grey-green to bluish-green (verdigris), in places or entirely fading yellowish. Cuticle matt, scaly, in older fruiting bodies (especially in drought) cracked and divided into patches — "checkered", most intensely green in the centre, on a whitish or pale green background. The cuticle can be peeled back about halfway to the centre.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills thick (up to 10 mm wide), fairly crowded, mostly free, joined at the base by veins; white in young specimens, pale cream with brownish edges in older ones.

Stem

Height 5–12 cm (descriptions also give up to 8 cm, thickness up to 4 cm), cylindrical, white, solid, spongy with age; base often with rusty spots, may be mealy at the top. No ring, bulb or volva.

Flesh

Thick, fleshy, white; hard in young specimens, brittle and porous in older ones; browns slightly when damaged. Taste delicate, mild (according to some descriptions nutty, fruity or sweetish), smell nutty or indistinct; older specimens may smell of herring. Do not taste the flesh of unknown mushrooms.

Spore print and spores

Spore print white or light cream. Spores elliptical, with warts partly joined into a net; 6–8.5(10) × 5–7 µm (descriptions also give 6–9 × 5–7 µm).

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Mycorrhizal fungus (ectomycorrhiza) with oaks, common beech, aspen, according to some descriptions also birch and spruce; in Asia with trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae. Grows on the ground in deciduous and mixed forests, singly or a few at a time; may appear in the same places every year.

Distribution. Eurasia and North Africa, possible localities in Central America; presence in North America disputed (confused with R. parvovirescens and R. crustosa). In Poland fairly frequent (some descriptions say it is not common). Not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. From July to September (summer–early autumn).

What can it be confused with?

• Amanita phalloides (the death cap) — DEADLY POISONOUS — Young russula specimens may be mistaken for the death cap. The death cap has a ring on the stem, a bulbous base and a sac-like volva. The russula has no ring or volva, and its flesh is brittle.
• Russula aeruginea (the grass-green russula) — Much poorer in taste; smaller, with a smooth cap, without patches.
• Russula crustosa — Cap also cracked, but sticky in damp weather and more variable in colour (reddish, yellowish, brown); spore print darker yellow.
• Russula parvovirescens — Smaller (cap 4–8 cm), more bluish-green, with larger patches and a striate margin; occurs in the USA.
• Russula heterophylla, R. cyanoxantha var. peltereaui, R. redolens — Green russulas with a smooth cap; R. redolens has an unpleasant taste and a smell of parsley.

Never rely on a single feature. If you are not sure — do not pick it; show the mushroom to a qualified mushroom expert.

Interesting facts

• On 31 August 2012 Poczta Polska (the Polish post) issued a stamp with the green russula (face value 1.55 zł, series "Mushrooms in Polish forests") with a tab showing the death cap.
• Particularly popular in Spain and China.
• The English names "green-cracking russula" and "quilted green russula" refer to the cracked surface of the cap.