Russula sanguinea (Bull.) Fries
Epicr. Myc. 351. 1838.

Common Name: Rosy Russula

Misapplied name: Russula rosacea

• Pileus

  Cap 4-10 cm broad, convex to plano-convex, becoming plane with a depressed disc; margin in age slightly striate and sometimes upturned; surface smooth, viscid, bright red to dark red, fading to pink or lavender-pink, sometimes with white or yellow blotches; flesh white, unchanging when exposed, brittle; odor mild, taste acrid.

• Lamellae

  Gills adnate to adnexed, white to creamy to pale yellow, close to subdistant.

• Stipe

  Stipe 5-10 cm long, 1-2.5 cm thick, equal or tapering toward the apex; surface smooth, dry, pink to rose; stuffed to hollow in age; flesh white, brittle.

• Spores

  Spores 7.8-9.5 x 6.5-8.5 µm, subovoid to subellipsoid with amyloid ornamentation of isolated spines and warts. Spore print pale yellow to yellow.

• Habitat

  Scattered to gregarious under pine, fall to early spring.

• Edibility

  Unknown, avoided because of its acrid taste.

• Comments

  One of our prettiest mushrooms, Russula sanguinea has previously been misidentified as Russula rosacea. Whatever you call it, the Rosy Russula is easy to identify by it red cap, rosy pink stipe, brittle flesh, and acrid taste. Russula silvicola is similar, but has a white stipe and a white spore print.

• References

  Burlingham, G.S. (1936). New or Noteworthy Species of Russula and Lactaria. Mycologia 28(3): 253-267.
  Thiers, H.D. (1997). The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 9. Russulaceae I. Russula. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 158 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Tom Duffy: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Robert Mackler: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Nathan Wilson: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Russulales News: Russula sanguinea (D & CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Davis Lab: Russula sanguinea (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 99 (D), plate 13 (CP) [Russula rosacea]
  • Arora (1991): p. 29 (D & CP) [Russula rosacea]
  • Jordan: p. 325 (D & CP)
  • Lincoff: p. 705 (D), plate 334 (CP) [Russula rosacea]
  • McKenny et al.: p. 102 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 132 (D), p. 133 (CP)
  • Thiers (1997): p. 124 (D), plate XVI, fig. 94 (I)
  
  

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)