Russulaceae Gallery

Lactarius rufus	Lactarius deterrimus	Lactarius pallidus	Lactarius quietus	Lactarius torminosus	Lactarius deliciosus
Lactarius vietus	Lactarius piperatus	Russula ochroleuca	Lactarius vellereus	Russula fragilis	Russula illota
Russula nigricans	Russula delica	Russula mairei	Russula foetens	Russula vesca	Russula aurata

The family Russulaceae contains two genera: Lactarius and Russula. In Europe there are some 160 species in each of the Lactarius and Russula genera. The two genera in this section differ mainly in that Lactarius produce milk (latex) from their gills when damaged whereas Russula species do not. Both genera are characterised by brittle flesh and pale spores.

Russula The Russula genus contains mushrooms of many colours, from white, yellow, tan and brown, through pink, orange red and purple to blue, purple and even green.
Russulas are fleshy fungi. Most of them are edible, although many species are too hot and acrid for most people's taste, and some - Russula mairei for example - cause stomach upsets.
Lactarius The Lactarius mushrooms are known as milk caps because of the latex that is exuded from their gills when they are cut or broken.
The initial colour of the milk, its taste, and any colour change as the milk dries are valuable identification characters in a group with little cap colour variation.
There are some 300 European species identified within the order Russulales. They are divided more or less equally between the two genera.

Russulaceae Gallery

Russula

Lactarius

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Fungi | Reptiles | Bats | Land Mammals | Birds | Fish | Insects | Amphibians | Wild Flowers | Trees
* FLYFISHING COURSES * THE BOOKSHOP ***
Liability | Email us | Copyright