Russula brevipes

Russula brevipes
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Russulales
Family:	Russulaceae
Genus:	Russula
Species:	R. brevipes
Binomial name
Russula brevipes Peck (1890)
Synonyms[2]
Russula brevipes var. acrior Shaffer (1964)[1] Russula brevipes var. megaspora Shaffer (1964)[1]

Russula brevipes Mycological characteristics
	Gills on hymenium
	Cap is flat or infundibuliform
	Hymenium is decurrent
	Stipe is bare
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is mycorrhizal
	Edibility is edible

Russula brevipes is a species of mushroom commonly known as the short-stemmed russula or the stubby brittlegill. It is widespread in North America, and was reported from Pakistan in 2006. The fruit bodies are white and large, with convex to funnel-shaped caps measuring 7–30 cm (3–12 in) wide set atop a thick stipe up to 8 cm (3 in) long. The gills on the cap underside are closely spaced and sometimes have a faint bluish tint. Spores are roughly spherical, and have a network-like surface dotted with warts.

Fruiting from summer to autumn, the mushrooms often develop under masses of leaves or conifer needles in a mycorrhizal association with trees from several genera, including fir, spruce, Douglas-fir, and hemlock. Forms of the mushroom that develop a bluish band at the top of the stipe are sometimes referred to as variety acrior. Although edible, the mushrooms have a bland or bitter flavor. They become more palatable once parasitized by the ascomycete fungus Hypomyces lactifluorum, a bright orange mold that covers the fruit body and transforms them into lobster mushrooms.