lindagoesmushrooming:Young Russula emetica aka the Sickener, growing in a coniferous forest.As
lindagoesmushrooming:Young Russula emetica aka the Sickener, growing in a coniferous forest.As the name implies, it’s not edible and is considered toxic by a lot of mycologists. The cap is scarlet, sometimes fading with time (especially in wet weather). The stipe is white. How to tell it apart from other - edible - brittlegills? Touch it with the tip of your tongue. It has a very unpleasant, hot and peppery taste that will leave your tongue tingling.Another brittlegill that often looks very similar because one of its cap colors is scarlet, too, and its stipe is also white, is the Crab Brittlegill (Russula xerampelina). It’s edible. You can tell it apart from the Sickener by the smell. While the Sickener has a faint fruity odour, the Crab Brittlegill smells like fish (specifically, herring).Personal experience: I’ve eaten Russula emetica and I have not become sick. Of course, when eaten raw or inadequately cooked, it will make you sick but if you cook your mushrooms by boiling them in water and then pouring out the water, a couple of accidentally picked sickeners won’t hurt you. The majority if not all of the toxins will be removed that way. Still, threat them with caution and stay safe. -- source link
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