About this fungus
Powdery Brittlegill is a fungus in the Russulaceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A grey to blue-grey or grey-green brittlegill with a dry frosted bloom on the cap when fresh.
What to check
Look for the fine powdery cap coating, brittle pale gills and flesh, a white stem that may develop small rusty marks, and a cream spore print. The bloom can disappear in rain or through handling. There is no ring or volva.
Variation
Caps vary from grey and blue-grey to grey-green, brownish or faintly purple. Old or rain-washed caps may lose the feature that gives the species its common name.
Lookalikes
Russula cyanoxantha has unusually flexible, greasy-feeling gills rather than brittle ones. Russula azurea is more strongly associated with spruce and has a whiter print. Grey-green Russulas remain difficult and microscopy may be needed.
Habitat and range
Mycorrhizal with broadleaf and conifer trees. European accounts often emphasize oak, beech and pine, but host patterns and similar species vary by region.
Food safety
Edible.
Use this profile to learn what to examine and compare, not as proof that a mushroom is safe to eat. Check the whole specimen and every important lookalike before reaching an identification.
Photographs
James Lindsey / CC BY-SA 3.0Species to compare
Similar mushrooms to compare against: