Russula amarissima   Romagn. & E.-J. Gilbert (1943)                                       *Collection: Bulgaria

This is one infrequently illustrated Russula that can very easily be confused with Russula lepida. The vinacious tinges on the stipe at age and particularly the gill edges towards the margin becoming concolorous with the pileus are quite distinctive. Upon drying and age, the red color changes to vinacious purple.

This species presents another  very humbling experience to the Russula identifier -- the spores consists of two entirely different ornamentation types, which at first leads one to believe that they cannot possibly come from the same species and suggests the possibility contamination. Upon examination of the dry material one can see the spore variations lying side by side. In that respect Sarnari captured well these spore differences.


Spores from the same fruitbody -- some feature very dense and low ornamentation,  while others are irregularly and very coarsely ornamented.