AuthorKibby, G.
Year2008
TitleThe Genus Russula in Great Britain with Synoptic Keys to Species (ed 4)
SeriesPrivately published
TypeBook/Report
How CompleteAll the British species then known
SourcePrivately published, 4th edition edition, 109pp
IllustrationsColour photographs and photomicrographs, line drawings of spores
Review (by Malcolm Storey)

An attractively produced synoptic key to Russula.

Many Russula species have been added to the British list in recent years and this guide covers these including many that previously were only mentioned in expensive continental works.

The synoptic key uses 8 characters: cap colour, peelability, stem colour, average cap diameter, spore print colour, gill taste, discolouration, presence/absence of cap cystidia and fuchsinophile hyphae. Each character alternative gives a letter. The letters are concatenated to give a 7 or 8 letter "word" which is then looked up in a table. Some of the words relate to single species, others to short dichotomous keys.

The method works very well, with the minor criticism that the two microchemical tests have been combined so that if you do not have one of the chemicals (eg acid fuchsin) the final letter can be one of two which is unnecessarily messy, but at least it is the final letter so you aren’t skipping over several pages.

This edition includes 3 pages of very useful spore drawings and 38 colour plates.

Examine with a Microscope using 100x oil-immersion
Specimen PreparationSpecimens may be fresh or dried but must be in good condition. Spore prints, microscopy of spores in Melzer’s Iodine at x1000 with good optics and lighting; and of cap cuticle in 1. Sulphovanillin and 2. Acid Fuchsin (or Cresyl Blue) at x400.
Identification difficultyWith the microscopy, most are straightforward.
Notes & PurposeStatusTaxonEnglishClassification
For identificationSupersededRussulabrittlegill toadstools, russulasFungi: Russulales: Russulaceae
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