Green Brittlegill

Russula

Green Brittlegill is a green fungus that grows in the woods. It's known for its bright color and fun shape!

Habitat: Woodlands

Appearance

The Green Brittlegill has a distinctive, often cracked or scaly, dull to bright green cap. Its stem and gills are white, and the gills are notably fragile, breaking easily when touched. This cracked green cap makes it stand out from other Russula species.

KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderRussulalesFamilyRussulaceaeGenusRussula

Green Brittlegill

Interesting facts

If you try to bend its stem or gills, they snap like a piece of chalk!

Its green cap often looks like it's cracked or scaly, like old paint!

Its scientific genus name, Russula, means 'reddish' even though it's green!

Mushrooms are more closely related to animals than to plants!

Special abilities

Green Brittlegill can share nutrients with trees because of its mycorrhizal relationship that helps both grow stronger.

Green Brittlegill has incredibly brittle gills and stem that helps it release spores when disturbed or break away from predators.

Green Brittlegill can camouflage itself with green moss and leaves because of its variable green cap that helps it hide from foraging animals.

Measurements & details

Height: 5-10 cm
Edibility: edible
Cap Diameter: 5-15 cm
Growth Substrate: soil
Season: Summer to Fall
Spore Color: White to pale cream

Ecological connections

symbiotic with

English Oak

Quercus robur

forms mycorrhizal partnership for nutrients

symbiotic with

European Beech

Fagus sylvatica

exchanges minerals and water for sugars

symbiotic with

Scots Pine

Pinus sylvestris

shares resources through underground networks

eaten by

Black Slug

Arion ater

slugs forage on its caps and gills

Traits

Deciduous

Discover the magic of plants that shed all their leaves during a particular season, often putting on a spectacular show of fall colors first. They get ready for a fresh start!

Spore Producing

Discover how some plants and fungi create tiny little "seeds" called spores to help them grow new life! These tiny particles drift in the air, spreading new generations far and wide.