Russula virescens - Greencracked Brittlegill

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Russulales

Less common, slightly larger, but otherwise similar to the Green Brittlegill, Russula aeruginea, and sharing the same habitat, the Greencracked Brittlegill is distinguished by a dry, velvety cap surface that breaks up into a ‘crazy-paving’ pattern. The spore print is darker than that of the more commonly encountered Green Brittlegill.

This popular edible brittlegill is most commonly found under Sweet Chestnut trees, although it can also occur with other broadleaf trees.

(Main picture courtesy: Paffka, Wikipedia)

Identification Guide

Cap	Cracked, grass-green surface, paler towards margin; peels 1/2 to centre; convex, flattening only in the centre, sometimes with a slight depression; greasy when moist; margin sometimes faintly grooved; 4 to 9cm across.
Gills	Creamy white, turning more yellow with age; adnexed; crowded.
Stem	White or cream, browning with age; cylindrical, sometimes slightly fusiform, or tapering at base; 4 to 8cm long, 1.5 to 4cm dia.
Spore print	Cream.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive
Habitat	In broadleaf woodland, particularly under birches.
Season	August to October.
Occurrence	Widespread but infrequent.
Similar species	Russula aeruginea the Green Brittlegill, is typically smaller but otherwise somewhat similar and occurs in the same kind of habitat; however, its cap does not crack.