The
Russulaceae are a
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus...
of fungi in the order
RussulalesRussulales is an order of the Agaricomycetes, ....
. Its species typically have
fruit bodiesA basidiocarp, basidiome or basidioma , is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multi-cellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the hymenomycetes; rusts and smuts do not produce such structures...
with friable, chalk-like
stalksthumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with a [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
, that break with a distinct crack, somewhat like a carrot but with porous flesh (see below). Microscopically, the cells are not all long thin
hyphaA hypha is a long, branching filamentous cell of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or more...
e, which would provide strength and more fibrous appearance when broken. Instead, the flesh contains also many large spherical cells ("sphaerocysts"), which give rise to the macroscopic consistency.
The family is dominated by just two well-known
generaIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
:
- The genus Russula
Around 750 worldwide species of mycorrhizal mushrooms compose the genus Russula. They are typically common, fairly large, and brightly colored - making them one of the most recognizable genera among mycologists and mushroom collectors...
, sometimes known as brittlegills, comprises around 160 species, the majority of which are quite difficult to identify.
The
Russulaceae are a
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus...
of fungi in the order
RussulalesRussulales is an order of the Agaricomycetes, ....
. Its species typically have
fruit bodiesA basidiocarp, basidiome or basidioma , is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multi-cellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the hymenomycetes; rusts and smuts do not produce such structures...
with friable, chalk-like
stalksthumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with a [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
, that break with a distinct crack, somewhat like a carrot but with porous flesh (see below). Microscopically, the cells are not all long thin
hyphaA hypha is a long, branching filamentous cell of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or more...
e, which would provide strength and more fibrous appearance when broken. Instead, the flesh contains also many large spherical cells ("sphaerocysts"), which give rise to the macroscopic consistency.
Genera
The family is dominated by just two well-known
generaIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
:
- The genus Russula
Around 750 worldwide species of mycorrhizal mushrooms compose the genus Russula. They are typically common, fairly large, and brightly colored - making them one of the most recognizable genera among mycologists and mushroom collectors...
, sometimes known as brittlegills, comprises around 160 species, the majority of which are quite difficult to identify. They have splitting gills and do not exude a milky substance at cut surfaces, contrarily to the genus LactariusFungi of the genus Lactarius, sometimes called milk-caps, are characterized by the fact that they exude a milky fluid if cut or damaged...
. There are several edible species (Russula vescaRussula vesca, known by the common names of Bare-toothed russula or The Flirt, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Russula.-Taxonomy:...
, Russula virescensRussula virescens is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Russula, and is sometimes called the green-cracking Russula, the quilted green Russula, or the green brittlegill. It can be recognized by its distinctive pale green cap covered with darker green patches, its crowded white gills, and its...
or Russula aurataRussula aurea, commonly known as the gilded brittlegill, is an uncommon species of mushroom found in deciduous woodland in Europe in summer and early autumn...
).
- The genus Lactarius
Fungi of the genus Lactarius, sometimes called milk-caps, are characterized by the fact that they exude a milky fluid if cut or damaged...
, or milk-caps, characterized by caps and stalks that exude a milky substance ("latexLatex refers generically to a stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic. Latex as found in nature is a milky sap-like fluid within many plants that coagulates on exposure to air. It is a complex emulsion in which proteins, alkaloids,...
") when pressed or cut and lactiferous, gloeoplerous hyphaA hypha is a long, branching filamentous cell of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium; yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not grow as hyphae.-Structure:A hypha consists of one or more...
e, is a large genus of mycorrhizaA mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a plant. In a mycorrhizal association, the fungus may colonize the roots of a host plant, either intracellularly or extracellularly...
l fungi. When cut, the mushroom exudes a kind of milky liquid. This liquid may be orange, red, lilac, white or yellow, and may develop its final colour only after exposure to air. Certain ones, such as L. deliciosusLactarius deliciosus, known as the Saffron milk cap, Red pine mushroom is the one of the best known members of the large milk-cap genus Lactarius in the order Russulales...
are edible and delicious, appreciated in Mediterranean areas.
However
the ITIS Catalogue of life includes also the genera
Cystangium,
Gymnomyces,
Macowanites and
Zelleromyces in this family.
Distinctive flesh consistency
Due to the presence of large spherical cells which can be seen under the microscope, an important characteristic to distinguish the Russulaceae from other types of mushrooms is the consistency of the stipe. In
Russula and
Lactarius, this breaks like the flesh of an apple, whilst in most other families it only breaks into fibres. The pictures compare the broken stipe of a
Lactarius vellereusLactarius vellereus, commonly known as the fleecy milk-cap, is a very large fungus in the Milk-cap genus Lactarius. It is one of the two most common milk-caps found with beech trees, with the other being L...
, with that of
Suillus variegatusSuillus variegatus, commonly called the Variegated Bolete, or Velvet Bolete is a species of edible mushroom in the genus Suillus. Like all bolete-like species it has tubes, and pores, instead of gills under its cap...
, a member of the
BoletaceaeBoletaceae is a family of mushrooms, primarily characterized by holding their spores in small pores on the underside of the mushroom, instead of gills, as are found in agarics. Nearly as widely distributed as agarics, they include the Cep or King Bolete , much sought after by mushroom hunters...
.
Parasites
Members of both
LactariusFungi of the genus Lactarius, sometimes called milk-caps, are characterized by the fact that they exude a milky fluid if cut or damaged...
and
Russula are subject to parasitization by the
Lobster mushroomLobster mushroom is not a mushroom, but rather a parasitic ascomycete that grows on mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. It colonizes members of the genera Lactarius and Russula, such as Russula brevipes and Lactarius piperatus in...
(
Hypomyces lactifluorum). This ascomycete replaces the flesh of the host mushroom, rendering it into a choice edible, though it can be peppery if the host is a species like
Lactarius piperatusLactarius piperatus, commonly known as the peppery milk-cap is a semi-edible basidiomycete fungus of the genus Lactarius. Despite being edible, it is not recommended due to its poor taste, though can be used as seasoning when dried. The fruiting body is a creamy-white mushroom which is...
.
These fungi may also be parasitized by the Indian Pipe, a myco-heterotrophic plant that lacks chlorophyll.
External links