Marsh russula (Russula paludosa)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Russulales
- Family: Russulaceae (Russula)
- Genus: Russula (Russula)
- Species: Russula paludosa (Marsh russula)
Synonym:
Float
Hat: 5-10 (15) cm in diameter, first hemispherical, bell-shaped, then prostrate, depressed, with a lowered ribbed edge, sticky, shiny, bright red, orange-red, with a darker red-brown middle, sometimes fading light ocher spots. The peel comes off well to the very center of the cap.
Leg: long, 5-8 cm and 1-3 cm in diameter, cylindrical, sometimes swollen, dense, hollow or full, white with a pink tint.
The pulp is white, sweetish, only young plates are sometimes slightly pungent. The leg is white, sometimes with a pinkish tinge, slightly shiny.
Plates: frequent, wide, adherent, often forked, sometimes with a serrated edge, white, then yellowish, sometimes with pinkish outer ends.
The spore powder is pale yellowish.
Habitat: Marsh russula is most often found in coniferous forests. The season for its active growth is the summer and autumn months.
The fungus is found in damp pine forests, along the edge of swamps, on moist peaty-sandy soils from June to September. Forms mycorrhiza with pine.
Marsh russula is a good and tasty edible mushroom. It is used for pickling and salting, but it can also be eaten fried.