Winecork Brittlegill

Winecork Brittlegill Russula adusta (Pers.) Fr. (illustrated 40% life size) Resembles R. acrifolia (opposite) except as noted here; the flesh tastes mild and does not discolour the same way. Cap 5–17cm across; surface sticky when moist. Stem 40–110×10–30mm. Flesh only becomes slightly pinkish in the first half-hour of exposure, sometimes remaining so in the cap, but in the stem becoming pale smoky grey, not dark grey or blackish as in R. acrifolia; smell of old wine casks. Spores 7–9×6–8µ, oval; very small warts rarely exceeding 0.2–0.3µ high, joined by very fine lines to form a well-developed but partial network with numerous small meshes. Cap hyphae narrow, 2–4µ wide. Habitat with pine; early summer to late autumn. Occasional. Edible but poor.