About Russula paludosa Britzelm.
The cap of Russula paludosa Britzelm. ranges from convex to depressed in shape, and has a distinctive colouration of bloody red, pink, crimson, or purple. The centre of the cap sometimes shows a yellowish or orange tinge, and the cap diameter measures between 6 and 20 cm. The flesh is white, with a mild taste and no scent. Over time, it quickly becomes soft, spongy, and greyish. The crowded gills are cream coloured when young, and turn yellow as the fungus ages. They are adnexed, generally thin, and may sometimes have reddish edges. The spores are elli and amyloid, measuring 8–10 by 7–10 μm; they are warty and covered by an incomplete mesh. The stem is white, sometimes with a pink hue, and slightly clubbed. It reaches 5 to 15 cm in height and up to 3 cm in diameter. R. paludosa is a mycorrhizal species. It grows in coniferous woodlands and peat bogs of Europe and North America, and prefers to grow under pine trees, where it forms mycorrhizae. It can be very common in local areas.
