Russula caerulea Fr.
(Humpback Brittlegill)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesRussula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill)
GenusRussula (brittlegill toadstools, russulas)
FamilyRUSSULACEAE (milkcaps and russulas)
OrderRUSSULALES (an order of toadstools)
SubclassAGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill) :
1: Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill)
7 Oct 2015 OSGR: SZ19 50° 50’ N, 1° 50’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
under Scot’s Pine
Image 1: Cap - white backgroundImage 2: CollectionImage 3: Fruitbody - oblique viewImage 4: Fruitbody - side viewImage 5: Fruitbody - top viewImage 6: Gills - close-upImage 7: Gills - white backgroundImage 8: Stipe with iron reaction - close-upImage 9: Cap surface - towards margin - close-up - enlargedImage 10: Cap surface - towards margin - close-up - enlarged (2)Image 11: Gills - towards margin - close-up - enlargedImage 12: Gills - towards margin - close-up - enlarged (2)Image 13: Gills - towards stipe - close-up - enlargedImage 14: Spore print - enlargedImage 15: Spore print with iodine - enlargedImage 16: Cap cuticle showing lack of dermatocystidia - magnifiedImage 17: Cap cuticle showing lack of dermatocystidia - magnified (2)Image 18: Cap cuticle showing lack of dermatocystidia - microscope low magnificationImage 19: Spores - magnifiedImage 20: Spores - magnified (2)Image 21: Spores - magnified (3)Image 22: Spores - magnified (4)Image 23: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 24: Spores - highly magnified (2)
2: Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill)
22 Sep 1979 OSGR: SU94 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
Image 1: Fruitbody - oblique view - in situImage 2: Fruitbody - side view - in situ - base exposedImage 3: Fruitbody - side view showing gills - lain downImage 4: Fruitbody - turned over to show gills

Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 2 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Russula caerulea (Humpback Brittlegill)

One of the common four brittlegill toadstools found under Pine (Pinus). The mycelium forms an ectomycorrhiza with the roots. The cap is deep purple and the cuticle tastes bitter or nutty.

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