Milk White Brittlegill

Russula delica Fr.

2 Observations

3 weeks ago Last Observed

Milk White Brittlegill (Russula delica) – photo 1

The Milk White Brittlegill (Russula delica) is a large, heavy, dirty-white Russula that often pushes up through leaf litter with soil still stuck to its cap. The cap starts convex with an inrolled margin and opens into a broad funnel, while the short, stout stem and close gills give it the look of a milkcap.

The key test is simple: break a gill and no milk appears, which rules out the similar Peppery Milkcap (Lactifluus piperatus) and Fleecy Milkcap (Lactifluus vellereus). It grows under broadleaf and conifer trees, favouring neutral to alkaline soils, from summer into autumn. The very similar Blue Band Brittlegill (Russula chloroides) has a blue-green band where the gills meet the stem. It is not poisonous, but its peppery gills and odd fishy smell mean it is not worth eating.

Spore Print

Season

Native

non-toxic

Distribution

Fairly common and widespread

Habitat

Under both broadleaf and conifer trees, perhaps with a preference for alkaline soils

Etymology

Russula is a diminutive of the Latin russus, 'reddish', after the red caps of many species. delica is usually read as 'weaned' or 'without milk', a nod to its milkcap-like looks without any latex.

Associates

Fagus

Conservation

LC - Least Concern

IUCN Red Data List - Russula delica
Assessment date: 2025

Cap

Cap 5-18 cm across, white to cream, convex with an inrolled margin at first and later depressed to funnel-shaped. Very firm to hard and minutely tomentose (finely downy) when young, it becomes dry and matt and ages to pale yellowish-brown.

Colour
Shape	Depressed, Expanded, Infundibuliform
Width	5 - 18 cm
Margin	Inrolled

Gills

Close and narrow, with many shorter gills between them; brittle and producing no milk when broken.

Colour
Attachment	Decurrent
Spacing	close

Flesh

White, thick and very firm. Mild in the cap flesh but peppery in the gills.

Odour	Complex, fruity-fishy-buggy, not very pleasant

Stem

Stem short and stout, 2-5 cm long and 15-45 mm wide, cylindrical and white. It is tomentose (finely downy) when young, stains brownish, and has no ring.

Colour
Height	2 - 5 cm
Width	15 - 45 mm
Shape	Cylindric

Macrochemicals

The guaiac reaction is often slow, giving a dark greyish-blue colour. FeSO4 (iron salts) gives orange-yellow.

FeSO₄
Guaiac

Spores

The subglobose spores measure 8-11 x 6.5-8.5 μm and have warts up to 0.75 μm, with numerous connectives and connate warts forming a poorly formed reticulum.