Russula atroglauca

Russula atroglauca

The Russula atroglauca (Russula atroglauca Einhell., 1980) is a basidiomycete fungus belonging to the Russulaceae family.

Systematics –
From the systematic point of view it belongs to the Eukaryota Domain, Fungi Kingdom, Phylum Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes Class, Subclass Incertae sedis, Russulales Order, Russulaceae Family and therefore to the Genus Russula and to the Species R. atro glauca.

Etymology –
The term Russula is the diminutive of red rússa: reddish, although the color scheme of the russules often contradicts the name. The specific epithet atroglauca comes from “ater” = dark, and from the Greek “glaucós” = glaucous, blue, blue-greenish, gray-blue, gray-greenish, due to the color of the hat.

Geographical Distribution and Habitat –
The Russula atroglauca is a fungus that grows both under broad-leaved trees, including aspen (Populus tremula) and birch (Betula pendula) that under conifers. It is however predominantly a species that grows in high altitude forests under Birch and Spruce.

Recognition –
This species is recognized by the cap of 2-8 cm in diameter, which is first hemispherical, then flattened, more or less depressed, with separable cuticle up to the middle of the hat, velvety, with a color varying from light green to dark green up to bluish or blackish blue colors.
The lamellas are dense, slightly ventricose, decurrent, with cream and ocher color at maturity, with scarce lamellulae.
The stem is 3-6.5 cm, short, cylindrical, attenuated at the base, hard, but soon yielding, white in color, often with small spots in the basal part.
The flesh is firm, white in color and smells of geranium and initially mild, then slightly acrid.
Under the microscope, spores of 6.5-8.5 (9) x 5-7 µm are visible, white or light cream in mass, warty.
The basidia are 30-40 x 8-10 µm.
The cystidia of 55-105 x 6-13 µm, fusiform, often appendicated.

Cultivation –
The Russula atroglauca is a non-cultivated mushroom.

Uses and Traditions –
This mushroom is a large northern species where it grows in high-altitude forests under Birches and Spruces; it is easily recognizable due to the pileic colors of moss green color often with blue reflections, blackish green to the disc. Even if it is an edible mushroom it is characterized by a slightly acrid taste.

Preparation Mode –
The Russula atroglauca is a edible mushroom but it is recommended to consume it only in the mixture and in proportions such as not to perceive in excess its slightly acrid taste.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.– Cetto B., 2008. The mushrooms from life, Saturnia, Trento.– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.

Attention: Pharmaceutical applications and food uses are indicated for informational purposes only, do not in any way represent a medical prescription; therefore no liability is accepted for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.