Beautiful Russula

(Russula pulchra)

Conservation Status
Beautiful Russula
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Beautiful Russula is a common, large, brightly colored mushroom. It is found on the ground in hardwood and mixed hardwood and coniferous forests from July to September. It grows on the roots of oaks and other hardwoods.

The cap is convex when young. As it ages it flattens and sometimes develops a shallow depression at the center. It is scarlet to pinkish red, dull, sticky, and 2 to 4 in diameter. It develops a cracked surface with age. The skin peels only near the margin, and with difficulty.

The gills are white, well spaced, and attached to the stalk.

The stalk is fairly smooth, white, often flushed with pink, 1¼ to 4 tall, and to 1 in diameter.

The flesh is white. Like all Russulas, it is brittle, not fibrous, leading to the common name for this genus, Brittlegill. If you hold the stalk and push up on the cap, the cap will snap off cleanly. The taste is mild.

The spores are pale cream in color.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Russula flavisiccans stem is never flushed with pink. The taste is somewhat bitter and unpleasant.

 
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Oaks and other hardwoods

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Season

 
 

July to September

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

 
         
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Fungi (fungi)  
  Subkingdom Dikarya  
  Division Basidiomycota (club fungi)  
  Subdivision Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms)  
  Class Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies)  
  Subclass Agaricomycetidae  
  Order Russulales  
  Family Russulaceae (milkcaps, brittlegills, and allies)  
 

Genus

Russula (brittlegills)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Beautiful Russula

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Mycorrhizal

A symbiotic, usually beneficial relationship between a fungus and the tiny rootlets of a plant, usually a tree.

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Lisa Tenter

 
 

Found one mushroom in leaf litter in deeply shaded area in heavily wooded area.

 
    Beautiful Russula   Beautiful Russula  
 

Carrie Schunk

 
    Beautiful Russula      
 

Grace Carlson

 
 

There are two mushrooms, one growing in the middle of a path covered with small pebbles and one growing in the leaf litter. It’s currently 88° outside.

  Beautiful Russula  
 

Cassandra Lenhard

 
    Beautiful Russula      
 

Kimberly Muenchow

 
 

the perfect red mushroom

 
    Beautiful Russula      
 

Kirk Nelson

 
    Beautiful Russula      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    Beautiful Russula   Beautiful Russula  
           
    Beautiful Russula      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this mammal.

 
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Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this fungus.

 
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Be sure to include a location.
 
  BigMike
9/19/2022

Location: Brook Park, MN

found on Tunnel Road, a clump of 2, one was around 4" cap other one was about 2", found growing alongside the shoulder of the road in a pile of dumped yard leaves.

 
  BigMike
9/17/2022

Location: Quarry Park - Waite Park, MN

had 1, about 2" cap, right on the edge of the walking path, in leaves. Animals clearly had been chewing it.

 
  Lisa Tenter
8/16/2020

Location: Dent, MN (Ottertail County)

Found one mushroom in leaf litter in deeply shaded area in heavily wooded area.

Beautiful Russula  
  Carrie Schunk
9/29/2018

Location: Lake County

Beautiful Russula  
  Grace Carlson
9/15/2018

Location: Rice County, MN
Latitude: 44.424597
Longitude: -93.334006

there are two mushrooms, one growing in the middle of a path covered with small pebbles and one growing in the leaf litter. It’s currently 88° outside.

Beautiful Russula  
  Cassandra Lenhard
8/11/2018

Location: railroad trail between Taylor's Falls MN and Interstate State Park (MN)

Beautiful Russula  
  Kimberly Muenchow
7/1/2018

Location: Afton, MN

the perfect red mushroom

Beautiful Russula  
  Gregg
6/27/2018

Location: SE Rochester, Minnesota

One lone mushroom.  Very Magenta Red.

 
  Kirk Nelson
8/14/2017

Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Beautiful Russula  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 7/2/2018

Last Updated:

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