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Shrimp Russula

Russula xerampelina

Description:

Russula xerampelina has a characteristic odour of boiled crustacean. The cap is 6–12 cm (2.5–4.5 in) wide, domed, flat, or with a slightly depressed centre, and sticky. The colour is variable, most commonly purple to wine-red, or greenish, and darker towards the centre of the cap. There are fine grooves up to a centimetre long running perpendicular to the margin. The gills have a mild to rather bitter taste, narrowly spaced, and turn creamy-yellow on ageing specimens. The spore print is creamy-yellow to ochre. The oval spores measure 8.8–9.9 by 6.7–7.8 µm and are covered with 1 µm spines,[3] The stipe 4–8 cm (1.5–3 in) long, 1.5–3 cm (0.59–1.18 in) wide, is cylindrical, white or sometimes with a reddish blush, turning ochre or brownish with age. This Russula has been divided into several similar species by some mycologists. However, they all have the singular dark green colour reaction to iron salts (iron(II) sulfate) when applied to the flesh, and all smell of shellfish. This aroma is quite distinct, and becomes stronger with age.[5] More reddish-capped forms could be confused with the sickener (Russula emetica), although the latter always has a white stipe and gills; greener-capped species may resemble the also edible Russula aeruginea

Habitat:

Russula xerampelina is widely distributed; quite common in northern temperate zones, and often ranging into the Arctic Circle, it also ranges south to Costa Rica.[7] Appearing in the autumn, it grows solitary, or in groups with conifers,[8] and seems to have a preference for Douglas Fir, or more rarely pine trees or larch.[3] It is sometimes found in deciduous woods, such as beech and oak.[6] Variety tenuicarnosa has been found on sandy soils under pine in Slovakia and northern Italy in Trentino.

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Brian38
Spotted by
Brian38

Federal Way, Washington, USA

Spotted on Feb 27, 2017
Submitted on Feb 27, 2017

Spotted for Mission

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