zora Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Does anyone have the big book of Russulas and can tell me how many green Russulas there are? Russulas drive me crazy. I am thinking this could be Russula variata. Cap colors vary but then they do vary with Russula it seems. So it could be more than one type. Spore print is light cream to white. Found in hardwood forest in the Laurel Highlands of Pa. What is your opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Boy Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 I found a pretty one ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Yep, thats the really good one! I found one yesterday but it was blown. Lots of what I found yesterday was blown from all the rain. But, I did come home with trumpets, chants, chaga and several boletes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DufferinShroomer Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 OK I think it is just about time for some of you folks who are getting all that rain to maybe start bringing a few 5 gallon pails up here to Ontario. We had a wet May and it was wet for much of June but there arent mushrooms here then (well ok except morels). Now that summer is here you guys are hogging all the rain and even a russula would be a welcome sighting. Zora, there is a website that is russula/lactarius only that might help you a bit. I posted the link once before but I dont recall if it was on this incarnation of the forum or the previous one and I dont have time to look right now, so here is the link again.. http://www.mtsn.tn.it/russulales-news/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mushroom Jack Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 My guess would be Russula aeruginea and the last 2 Russula virescens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 R. aeruginea has yellow to orange spore print. R. variata often has a slightly acrid taste. IDing Russulas th species often requires chemical applications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thanks Duff. I think now I do remember you posting this on the old site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Boy Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 My guess would be Russula aeruginea and the last 2 Russula virescens. I've gone with R. parvovirescens on the basis of Michael Kuo -- according to his sources, that's a better name for our American variety than A. virescens. Of course, that will all change next week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsinker Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 R. aeruginea has yellow to orange spore print. R. variata often has a slightly acrid taste. IDing Russulas th species often requires chemical applications. I find both growing together here in southern CT - it's too hard for me to tell them apart in the field aside from tasting them and that becomes difficult after tasting an acrid one because the flavor lingers so I can't tell if I'm tasting the mushroom I just picked or the one before it. In the end I gave up on picking green russulas for the table - which is too bad because the aeruginea are very tasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mushroom Jack Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 R. aeruginea has yellow to orange spore print. R. variata often has a slightly acrid taste. IDing Russulas th species often requires chemical applications. You got me on that one Dave, I didn't even think about the spore color ! I'm dying up here, we haven't had any rain since the Morel Season. The only mushroom I found was that Sulpher Shelf about a month ago. And that was while driving down the road in the Shroom Mobil !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamara Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thanks Upsinker: "it's too hard for me to tell them apart in the field aside from tasting them and that becomes difficult after tasting an acrid one because the flavor lingers so I can't tell if I'm tasting the mushroom I just picked or the one before it." I had to laugh, as the number of times that has happened to me. Also, after I've picked a Tawny Milkcap, I can't smell anything else for ages no matter how many times I wash my hands. Even the Russulas are few and far between waiting for rain here in Kentucky. The Chanties didn't get to size before they just dried up and crumbled. All the green Russulas look quilted! Perhaps the Firm Russulas will (sorta) compensate us, as they seem to do OK in dry weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvert Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 Does anyone have the big book of Russulas and can tell me how many green Russulas there are?.... I am thinking this could be Russula variata. There are at least 15 described of green Russula's in the Northeast. Many of these, however, are often mixed with other colours, like R. variata, which is usually lavender mixed with green and other colours. It is also very acrid. Whether it is acrid or not (and spore colour) is as important as colour when it comes to Russula's. R. aeruginea has yellow to orange spore print. R. variata often has a slightly acrid taste. I beleive R. variata is distinctly acrid. It is common here and is distinguished by it's forking gills. I don't believe I've ever seen one that was entirely green, though, it is usually a mix of colours. I agree that the first one appears to be the common R. aeruginea. The second one may be R. virescens or R. crustosa (or maybe R. pseudovirtosa, who knows ). R. virescens and R. crustosa are very similar, quilted green ones, while the former has a white spore print, and the later a creamy one. (in other words, impossible to tell apart without a microscope). R. crustosa appear to be the one that occurs in my area, although I have found R. virescens once. In the end I gave up on picking green russulas for the table - which is too bad because the aeruginea are very tasty. That's too bad. They are probably my favorite Russula's, although there are some yellow ones which are very good too (R. claroflava). I have many R. aeruginea which grow on my lawn at the edge of the forest. Last week, somebody was out messing around with a tracter right in that spot!?! The grass is still there but pretty compacted. I fear I that may be the end of this years crop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvert Posted July 12, 2011 Report Share Posted July 12, 2011 I beleive R. variata is distinctly acrid. Sorry Dave W., you may be right. I checked a few books, and they describe R. variata as being slightly acrid, or "mild, slowly becoming a little acrid". My "Kibby and Fatto" (Zora: this is the big Russula book) says distinctly to strongly acrid. Perhaps it depends on the sample? Anyways, It's common around here. I'm pretty sure I've eaten it at least once, they are usually nice and firm, although I can't remember how good it was. Th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted July 13, 2011 Report Share Posted July 13, 2011 I've tried R. variata, quite a while back. I recall being not all that impressed, and the flavor after cooking was slightly acrid. There are a few Russulas that I really like. They are mainly somber-colored ones... not even certain of all the species! R. brunneola, R. modesta. Phillips offers a pretty good cross-section of Russulas, either in his book, or online at Rogersmushrooms. Is the Fatto book still available? That's one I don't have and would like to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 I went out today to get a fresh green russula and taste it and it was a bit acrid. I checked out the yellow russulas and found them pleasant. I believe there are a couple here. I thought we had the R. claroflava at least that was my conclusion last year. Seems one is more shiny than the other. I am going to go get the books and see where I was with that. Here is what I was looking at today. It was a dull button I tasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Zora, another possibility for the yellow russulas is R. ochroleucoides. I was seeing a lot of these (I think the same type as yours)about a week ago. This species has yellow cap and white stalk. What was the habitat for your collection? R. claroflava grows in wet areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Sorry, missed this...... They mostly grow down were we hunted at the bottom of the hill. Same area where we found those trumpets (I forget what you called them) But they are all along that hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 There were lots of damp areas on that hillside. So R. claroflva is still a good possibility. But claroflava is usually a really yellowy yellow... as opposed to the somewhat ochreous ochroleucoides... Wow, my tongue is twisting just writing this stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 oh......I will check on that closer then. So Dave, what is your opinion on how fast chants dry up? and does the dew, like what is in that area, enough to keep them going? We had 4 hours of rain Monday night. I am going out in the morning. i am just concerned that we won't get rain and next weekend may be too late. I want to let them get big, but I don't want to lose them either. This weather this year, has me a little messed up since I don't even usually find them til now and I have already gotten a couple pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 I just harvested some chants today that were starting to dry out. I trimmed some of the driest parts, and areas that were beginning to brown. One problem with leaving chants to get larger is that the bugs may claim them. If you do harvest some of them, maybe leave a few to see what happens to them. Zora, radar looks like you got significant rainfall this past afternoon. Looks like you may really be set up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 The afternoon rains missed us by just a couple miles but we had a storm last night. Lost power. Pressure tank switch is broke and now we are without water. So the mushrooms have water and we don't! Nothing to do but go hunting! Yes, looks like we will get rain for the next couple of days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvert Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Yes, looks like we will get rain for the next couple of days! Dry as a bone here, dead dead, nothing fruiting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianna Smith Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 If the gills are forked, then these are Russula variata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 If the gills are forked, then these are Russula variata. The first photo seen (first page of thread) looks like R. variata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zora Posted July 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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