Russula integra or Gilded brittlegill

Cap 6-15 cm across, when young hemispherical, with age becoming flat and spread out with a slightly depressed center. The skin is smooth, slimy in wet weather, dry and matte in dry weather, peels easily over 2/3 of the cap toward the center. Color: dark purple, chestnut-purple, wine-red, with a darker center and lighter margin. In mature specimens the margin has fine radial grooves resembling coarse ribbing.

The cap of the gilded brittlegill is 4 to 9 centimeters across. When young it is hemispherical, opening with age to convex and flat, sometimes with a slightly depressed center. The surface is smooth, slightly sticky in wet weather, matte or shiny. The coloring is warm — red, orange-red or crimson, often with yellow patches and always with a yellow tint that seems to shine through the red. The skin peels slightly at the margin.

Gilled hymenophore — the gills are attached or free from the stem, moderately spaced, fleshy, brittle. Color when young: whitish, with age turning ochre-cream to yellowish from the ripe yellow-ochre spores. Spore print yellow-ochre — a diagnostic feature (distinguishes it from the rusty brown of webcaps).

The hymenophore is gilled. The gills are fairly crowded and brittle, whitish or cream at first, taking on a characteristic golden-yellow tint as they mature, especially at the edge. The spore print is yellow or ochre-yellow. The yellowish gill edge is one of the telltale features of the species, setting it apart from the white-gilled brittlegills.

Stem 4-8 cm tall, 1.5-3 cm thick, firm, fleshy, cylindrical, hollow inside in old specimens. Color: white to creamy white, with a faint yellowish tint when old, browning toward the base. Surface smooth with fine lengthwise wrinkles. No ring.

The stem is cylindrical, white or yellowish-tinged, 4 to 8 centimeters tall, rather fragile, like that of all brittlegills. Golden-yellow tones are often visible on it, especially toward the base. The surface is smooth. There is no ring and no volva. The yellowish tones of the stem together with the red-and-yellow cap set this species apart.

Flesh firm, brittle, white; where cut, it slowly turns yellow (a reaction typical of the genus Russula). Smell pleasantly mushroomy, with a fruity note in mature specimens, taste mild, sweetish and nutty, with no bitterness or acridity — a diagnostic feature.

The flesh is white, often yellowish under the cap skin, brittle, and does not change color when cut. The taste is mild and pleasant, without any peppery heat or bitterness, which nicely sets this brittlegill apart from its acrid relatives. Thanks to its mild taste, the mushroom needs no lengthy boiling and suits any cooking method.

Pleasantly fruity-mushroomy, with no sharp notes.

The smell is faint, pleasant and mushroomy, with no sharp notes. The aroma is not a defining feature, so for identification you rely on the warm red-and-yellow cap color, the golden-yellow gill edge, the yellowish tones of the stem and the mild taste of the flesh.