The Oldcrab Brittlegill (Russula graveolens) belongs to the crab brittlegill group, named for a curious smell: older specimens smell of cooked crab or stale shellfish, though young ones may hardly smell at all. The cap is very variable, usually purple to purplish-brown, often with a buff or olive centre. The gills are white and darken with age, and the firm white stem stains yellowish-brown when handled. A drop of iron salts (FeSO4) turns the flesh dark green, a reaction shared with its relatives.
It grows under broadleaf trees, mainly oak, in parks, gardens and woodland edges, from June into October.
The Crab Brittlegill (Russula xerampelina) shares the smell and the browning but usually grows with conifers, and the two can need a microscope to separate. Other purple brittlegills lack the shellfish smell, and some, such as the Primrose Brittlegill (Russula sardonia), are hot and acrid.
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Distribution
Widespread and common
Habitat
Under broadleaved trees, mainly Quercus, usually in open parks, gardens and woodland edges
Etymology
Russula is a diminutive of the Latin russus, 'reddish', after the red caps of many species. graveolens is Latin for 'strong-smelling', after the shellfish smell of older specimens.
Associates
Quercus
Conservation
Cap
Convex, 5-8 cm across, smooth to slightly wrinkled. It is very variable in colour, purple to purple-brown, often with a buff to pale olive centre.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Shape | Convex |
| Surface | Smooth, Rugulose |
| Width | 5 - 8 cm |
Gills
The gills are broad, close, and white to cream when young. They go dark with age and brown when bruised.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Spacing | close |
Flesh
White and firm, browning slowly when cut.
| Odour | Nil to strong of old shellfish |
|---|---|
| Taste | Mild |
Stem
The stem is firm, white and cylindrical, staining brown on handling. It may flush pink or red, and the flesh inside also browns when cut.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Shape | Cylindric |
| Bruising |
Macrochemicals
| FeSO4 | |
|---|---|
| Guaiac |
Spores
The warts are up to 0.75μm high, mostly isolated, with some connectives.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Shape | Subglobose |
| Ornamentation | Warty |
| Size | 8-10 x 6.5-7.5 μm |
Microscopic Features
The pileocystidia are narrow, fusiform (spindle-shaped), and 4-9μm wide.
| Dermatocystidia | Fusiform |
|---|
Classification
- ↳ Phylum: Basidiomycota
- ↳ Subphylum: Agaricomycotina
- ↳ Class: Agaricomycetes
- ↳ Order: Russulales
- ↳ Family: Russulaceae
- ↳ Genus: Russula
Synonyms
- Oldcrab Brittlegill Vernacular, English
- Russula graveolens Romell apud Britz.
- Russula graveolens f. purpurissata (Reumaux) anon.
- Russula graveolens var. megacantha Bon
- Russula purpurata (Crawshay) Romagn.
- Russula purpurea Gillet
- Russula purpurissata Reumaux
- Russula xerampelina var. graveolens
- Russula xerampelina var. graveolens (Romell) Kühner & Romagn. comb. inval.
- Russula xerampelina var. purpurata Crawshay
Reference Sources
T. Læssøe, J. H. Peterson (2019) Fungi of Temperate Europe Vol. 1. Princeton University Press.
G. Kibby, M. Tortelli, F. Hampe, C. V. Soler (2026) The Genus Russula in Great Britain with keys to species. Geoffrey Kibby.
