Russula turci  Bres. (1881)                                                                               *All Collections: California

This is one of the classic Russula species of conifer forests. The violaceus color, yellow spore deposit and mild taste are a good set of characteristics. Separation against the very similar Russula amethystina is based on the different spore ornamentation. One of the characteristical features of this species is the iodine odor at the base of the stipe, which I personally find very hard to detect in Calfiornia collections. It would be interesting to compare molecular data between the Calfiornian and European collections of Russula turci.

Spores: long ridges, forming a broken to partial reticulum The definitive feature of Section Incrustatula is the heavily incrusted primordial hyphae.