Habitat
This common species is found on soil in close association with beech trees, either in broad-leaved woodlands or pure beech stands. It typically grows in groups or troops and is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and eastern North America.
Photos
Appearance
- Cap
- 3–9 cm broad, starting convex or hemispherical before flattening or becoming slightly depressed; color ranges from red or pink to entirely white; texture is smooth, shiny, and slightly sticky when moist; the cuticle peels between one-third and one-half of the way to the center.
- Stem
- 2.5–5 cm long and 10–15 mm wide; white, occasionally with yellowish tones at the base; shape is typically cylindrical and stout, sometimes slightly club-shaped or bent; the texture is notably hard and firm.
- Gills
- Crowded and adnexed; initially white with a subtle greenish or blue-green tint, maturing to a cream color.
- Flesh
- White, though distinctly pink directly beneath the cap cuticle; firm and brittle in texture.
- Spore print
- White to whitish.
- Smell
- Faint and fruity or sweet; notably smelling of coconut when young.
- Taste
- Extremely hot and acrid.
Sporecast is better in the app
Plan ahead with 10-day forecasts, see what people are finding nearby, get photo IDs, and track your finds.
Edibility
This species is poisonous and has a very hot, acrid taste. It is easily confused with other red, pink, or white brittlegills, including the edible Dawn Brittlegill and The Flirt, as well as the toxic Russula luteotacta and the bitter Russula rosea.
Misidentification can be fatal. Never eat a mushroom unless you're 100% sure. This information may be inaccurate. Always consult multiple sources.
Nutrient Source
EctomycorrhizalThis mushroom forms a symbiotic relationship with beech trees; it helps the trees absorb nutrients from the soil, and in return, it receives sugars from the trees.
Common Names
- Basque
- gibelgorri orriurdinska
- Catalan
- escaldabec
- Danish
- Lille gift-skørhat
- Dutch
- Stevige braakrussula
- English
- Beechwood Sickener
- French
- Russule émétique des hêtres, Russule émétique compacte
- Norwegian Bokmål
- rød bøkekremle
- Norwegian Nynorsk
- raud bøkekremle
- Spanish
- Rúsula de Maire
- Swedish
- bokkremla, liten giftkremla
- Welsh
- Tegyll Brau Nobl
Synonyms
- Russula fageticola
- Russula fageticola
- Russula fageticola
- Russula fagetorum
- Russula mairei — Beechwood Sickener