Bitter Almond Brittlegill Russula grata Britzelm. (illustrated 45% life size) Very similar to R. foetens (opposite) but rather smaller. Cap 4โ8cm across; often a brighter ochre-brown and less glutinous. Flesh distinguished by its marked smell of bitter almonds. Gills adnexed, rather thick; creamy. Spores 8โ9.5ร8โ8.5ยต, globose; very distinctive, with well-developed, sometimes branching wings up to 2ยต high connecting a large proportion of the warts. Spore print pale cream (D). Habitat mixed woods; summer to autumn. Occasional. Not edible. Note in my first book I used the name R. laurocerasi Melzer for this fungus, but the earlier name R. grata is now accepted as correct.
