Russula caerulea

Species characteristic of pine forests, with a conical to applanate pileus bearing a characteristic central umbo, 5 to 10 cm in diameter, violaceous or purple; pale yellow spore print; curved, cylindrical white stipe; faintly fruity odor and mild to slightly bitter taste.

Cuticle formed by intermixed hyphae 3 to 4 µm wide, with abundant reddish-brown intracellular pigment, septate with simple septa.

Cheilocystidia fusiform, some tapering to a narrow neck, 50 to 75 µm long and 8 to 11 µm wide.

Pleurocystidia of similar morphology to cheilocystidia, 55 to 90 µm long and 9 to 11 µm wide.

Basidia clavate, 38 to 45 µm long, 9 to 12.5 µm wide, simple-based and four-spored.

Spores subglobose to ellipsoidal, with warts up to 1.2 µm high, 6 to 9 µm long, 6 to 8 µm wide, surface covered with abundant warts connected by fine ridges.

Herbarium material available: JTP2120/24.