Russula cremoricolor | |
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R. cremoricolor, San Mateo County, California, 2019 | |
Pink morph, Shasta National Forest, 2018 | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Basidiomycota |
Class: | Agaricomycetes |
Order: | Russulales |
Family: | Russulaceae |
Genus: | Russula |
Species: | R. cremoricolor
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Binomial name | |
Russula cremoricolor Earle (1902)
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Russula cremoricolor Mycological characteristics | |
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Cap is convex or depressed | |
Hymenium is adnexed or adnate | |
Stipe is bare | |
Spore print is white | |
Edibility is poisonous |
Russula cremoricolor, also known as the winter russula, is a species of gilled mushroom.[1] This mushroom has red, cream-yellow, and pink color variants, which complicates attempts at field identification,[2][3] although finding "red and creamy capped fruitbodies in close proximity is a good clue indicating this species".[4] The winter russula is "mildly toxic,"[4] and causes intestinal distress even when consumed in small amounts.[2] The red morph was previously identified as Russula silvicola,[2][3] but was found to be genetically identical to the cream-colored individuals called R. cremoricolor.[4] The red morph is superficially similar to Russula californiensis but R. cremicolor has a much sharper, peppier taste, likes to associate with mixed forest or tanoak rather than pine, and keeps its gills and stipe white even in age.[4]