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Russula Pers. 1796
Russula Pers. 1796

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Present
New Zealand
Political Region

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Pers.
Pers.
1796
100
Fr.
9, 54
ICN
Russula Pers. 1796
genus
Russula

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Russula

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Partly buried, truffle-like fungi. The spores with amyloid ornamentation show a relationship with Russula. Six species in New Zealand.

Note that only those species listed below have images and/or descriptions available in the Virtual Myctoa.

Secotioid or truffle-like Russula species. The pinkish-red Macowanites carmineus is quite common, has a well-developed stalk, and gills which remain covered by a thin, membranous veil. The shape, texture, and colours are very reminescent of Russula. M. tapawera and M. rubroluteus differ in lacking a distinct stalk. Microscopically the characteristic spores are like those of Russula.

Mycorrhizal under beech and tea-tree.

There are at least 3 species in New Zealand, all endemic.

Russula species in which the gills remain covered by a thin, membranous veil. At least 3 species in New Zealand.

Russula Pers. 1796

Spore print white or yellow. Cap up to about 10 cm diam., sunken towards the centre, smooth, or with radiate ridges near margin (‘pectinate’), or scaly in one species. Colour varying between species, yellow-brown, red, purple, or green, the colours washing out in wet weather or with age. Flesh white, sometimes darkeing on exposure to air, brittle, snaps easily. Gills white to yellow, sometimes staining darker in patches with damage, colours varying between species. Stipe white or with hints of the colour of the cap, cylindric or tapering slightly towards the base, no ring.

Russula species are ectomycorrhizal, always found on the soil close to their host trees. The indigenous species are confined to either Nothofagus forests or to stands of tea-tree, where they are often found in large numbers in the autumn. There is at least one exotic species, R. sororia, found under the introduced trees Quercus and Fagus.

There have been about 30 indigenous species described from New Zealand. Because colour is important in their identification and because the colours wash out in the rain, identification to species level can be difficult without a microscope.

Lactarius is ecologically and macroscopically similar, but when damaged the flesh oozes a white or yellowish liquid. Macowanites is phylogenetically related to Russula, and is similar in colour to the red species, but it is a ‘secotioid’ fungus the gills never become exposed, remaining covered by a thin, white membrane.

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Gymnomyces Massee & Rodway (1898)
Macowanites Kalchbr. (1882)
Russula Pers. 1796
Russula Pers. (1796)
Russula Pers. 1796
Russula Pers. (1796)
Russula Pers. 1796
Russula Pers. (1796)
Russula Pers. 1796
Russula Pers. (1796)

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1cb19f47-36b9-11d5-9548-00d0592d548c
scientific name
Names_Fungi
1 January 2001
3 November 2018
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