How to identify Lilac Brittlegill

To correctly identify Lilac Brittlegill (Russula lilacea), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   The cap is typically 3-8 cm in diameter, initially convex, becoming plano-convex to depressed with age. The color ranges from lilac to purplish-red, often fading to pinkish or yellowish-ochre in the center. The cuticle is usually dry, smooth, and can be peeled about one-third to halfway to the center. The margin is often striate with age.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   The gills are adnexed to almost free, crowded, and brittle. They are white to cream-colored, sometimes with a slight yellowish tint in older specimens. Forking gills are occasionally present near the stem.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The stem is 3-7 cm long and 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly tapering towards the base. It is white, solid when young, becoming somewhat hollow or chambered with age. The surface is smooth and dry, often with a faint pinkish blush, especially towards the base.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is white, firm when young, becoming more brittle with age. It does not change color when cut or bruised. The taste is mild, sometimes slightly acrid in the gills, and the odor is indistinct or faintly fruity.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is a typical agaric mushroom with a cap, gills, and a central stem.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Russula lilacea is a mycorrhizal fungus, typically found growing solitarily or scattered in deciduous woodlands, particularly under oak (Quercus spp.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica). It prefers well-drained, often calcareous soils.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Dry, smooth, peelable

Growth Form

Solitary or scattered

Spore Print

White to cream

Body color

Lilac to purplish-red cap, white stem and gills

Odor

Indistinct or faintly fruity

Flesh bruises

No color change

Height

3-7 cm

Cap Diameter

3-8 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Adnexed to almost free
• Stem shape: Cylindrical or slightly tapering
• Stem surface: Smooth, dry
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Solid, becoming chambered

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