Specimen 2: Russula

Figure 1: White, thin gills of the Russula specimen. No latex is present between them.

Figure 2: Russula fruiting body growing out of leaf liter in a maple-beech forest.

Figure 3: Reddish cap and white stalk of the Russula.

Name: Russula
Phylum: Basidomycota
Family: Russulaceae
Common Name: Milk Mushroom
Collection Date:  October 8, 2015
Habitat: Found growing out of leaf litter in a maple-beech forest.
Location: James H. Barrow Field Station, Hiram, Ohio
Description: About 8 cm tall. Reddish brown, indented pileus (8 cm in diameter) on white stalk. Gills are also white and semi-attached to the stalk. Moist, fleshy texture. Delicate.
Collector: Linden Glaze

Key used: Miller Jr., Orson K. Mushrooms of North America. Chanticleer Press, New York.

Keying steps:

Basidiomycetes- Key to the Families of Giller Mushrooms (agarics)
1. b.Gills attached to stalk.... 3
3. b. Gills thin but not waxy; on ground, leaves; stalk present.... 4
4. a. Found on ground, in woods, near trees; flesh brittle..... Russulaceae pg. 61

Genus of Russulaceae pg. 61
1. No latex in the gills.... Russula