Nordic mushrooms – get to know the species
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ÄggkremlaRussula vitellina Egg waxcapHygrophorus karstenii Meadow champignonAgaricus campestris Meadow waxcapCuphophyllus pratensis s.lat. Apricot brittlegillRussula risigallina Asp boleteLeccinum aurantiacum Bagnoli truffleTuber mesentericum Bishop's mitreGyromitra infula Bitter riddarmusseronTricholoma aestuans Birch boleteLeccinum scabrum Wood blewitLepista nuda Blek fingersvampRamaria pallida Pale chanterelleCantharellus pallens Pale oyster mushroomPleurotus pulmonarius Pale false morelGyromitra gigas Pale hedgehog mushroomHydnum repandum Blood mushroomAgaricus silvaticus Blood boleteNeoboletus luridiformis Cauliflower fungusSparassis crispa Henbane mushroomEntoloma sinuatum Bread polyporeAlbatrellus confluens Charcoal burnerRussula cyanoxantha Brun flugsvampAmanita regalis Bay boleteImleria badia Lemon slimecapGomphidius glutinosus DjävulssoppRubroboletus satanas Grape coral fungusRamaria botrytis Oak russulaRussula melliolens Fire boleteSuillellus luridus EldspindlingCortinarius limonius False rut boleteXerocomellus porosporus Sheep polyporeAlbatrellus ovinus Velvety porciniBoletus reticulatus Shaggy ink capCoprinus comatus Scaly tooth fungusSarcodon imbricatus Spotted chanterelleCantharellula umbonata Mottled BoleteLeccinum variicolor Shaggy ParasolMacrolepiota excoriata Sheathed WoodtuftKuehneromyces mutabilis Frost WaxcapHygrophorus hypothejus var. hypothejus GallkremlaRussula fellea GallmusseronTricholoma virgatum GallsoppTylopilus felleus Yellow-staining MushroomAgaricus xanthodermus Funeral BellGalerina marginata GiftkremlaRussula emetica GifttrådingInosperma erubescens GifttrattskivlingClitocybe rivulosa MatsutakeTricholoma matsutake Grå bläcksvampCoprinopsis atramentaria Grey Pine MilkcapLactarius semisanguifluus Spruce MilkcapLactarius deterrimus Spruce BrittlegillRussula favrei Green-spotted MilkcapLactarius semisanguifluus Green BrittlegillRussula aeruginea Granular BoleteSuillus granulatus Yellow Sheep PolyporeAlbatrellus citrinus Gulbandad spindlingCortinarius gentilis Golden BrittlegillRussula aurea Yellow BrittlegillRussula claroflava Autumn BlewitLepista saeva Giant PuffballLangermannia gigantea JättetickaMeripilus giganteus Comb Coral MushroomClavulina cristata ChanterelleCantharellus cibarius Rimmed BrittlegillRussula vesca CepBoletus edulis Marsh BoleteLeccinum holopus Bell MorelGyromitra infula Bulbous AgaricusAgaricus sylvicola Coral PolyporeGrifola frondosa Wrinkled ChanterelleCraterellus undulatus King AgaricusAgaricus augustus Lamb PolyporeAlbatrellus ovinus Larch BoleteSuillus grevillei LokspindlingCortinarius callisteus Death CapAmanita phalloides Almond BrittlegillRussula integra Almond MilkcapLactifluus volemus MjölskivlingClitopilus prunulus Scaly Hedgehog MushroomSarcodon squamosus Fairy Ring MushroomMarasmius oreades Olive Herring BrittlegillRussula clavipes Orangebrun giftspindlingCortinarius orellanus Ear BoleteSuillus bovinus Oyster MushroomPleurotus ostreatus Panther CapAmanita pantherina Pepper MilkcapLactarius rufus PluggskivlingPaxillus involutus s.lat. Rhubarb BoleteAlbatrellus subrubescens RättikmusseronTricholoma stiparophyllum Frosted Ring BoleteCortinarius caperatus Fly AgaricAmanita muscaria s. lat. Brown Larch BoleteSuillus grevillei var. clintonianus Red-brown CepBoletus pinophilus Red-and-Yellow Hedgehog MushroomHydnum rufescens s. lat. Yellowfoot TrumpetCraterellus lutescens Blushing ParasolChlorophyllum rhacodes RökslöjskivlingHypholoma capnoides Rose Pink WaxcapGomphidius roseus Round MorelMorchella vulgaris Cracked BoleteXerocomellus chrysenteron Sammetsfotad pluggskivlingTapinella atrotomentosa Velvet BoleteXerocomus subtomentosus Sand BoleteSuillus variegatus Scarlet WaxcapHygrocybe punicea SenapskremlaRussula ochroleuca SidentrådingInocybe geophylla Silky TricholomaTricholoma columbetta Herring BrittlegillRussula xerampelina Bearded MilkcapLactarius torminosus Woodland AgaricusAgaricus sylvaticus Slippery JackSuillus luteus Snowball AgaricusAgaricus arvensis Summer truffleTuber aestivum Smoky waxcapHygrophorus camarophyllus Stacked scalycapChlorophyllum olivieri False morelGyromitra esculenta Parasol mushroomMacrolepiota procera StorkremlaRussula paludosa Strandäng meadow mushroomAgaricus bernardii Striped webcapTricholoma portentosum Black saddleHelvella lacunosa Black trumpetCraterellus cornucopioides Svavelgul slöjskivlingHypholoma fasciculare Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus sulphureus Pine saffron milkcapLactarius deliciosus Scots pine scaberLeccinum vulpinum Brick red brittlegillRussula decolorans Tegelröd slöjskivlingHypholoma lateritium Brick boleteLeccinum versipelle Deadly webcapCortinarius rubellus MorelMorchella esculenta ToppvaxskivlingHygrocybe conica YellowfootCraterellus tubaeformis Roadside mushroomAgaricus bitorquis St. George's mushroomCalocybe gambosa Scaly puffballLycoperdon perlatum VinkremlaRussula vinosa Wine-red milkcapLactarius sanguifluus Velvet shankFlammulina velutipes Violet webcapLepista nuda Destroying angelAmanita virosa White saddleHelvella crispa White king oyster mushroomAgaricus augustus White hedgehog mushroomHydnum albidum White-brown waxcapHygrophorus glutinifer White-footed aspen boleteLeccinum albostipitatum White-grey waxcapHygrophorus korhonenii Vitgul flugsvampAmanita citrina
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Charcoal burner

Charcoal burner

Russula cyanoxantha
Edible
★★★☆☆
Taste rating: 3 out of 5

How to identify it

Cap
Young cap hemispherical, later convex to expanded with depressed centre. Slightly sticky in wet weather. Colour highly variable with green, yellow, violet and pink tones, often dominated by green and violet.
Underside
Gills white, forked and elastic. Adnate to slightly decurrent. The elastic, almost tough texture of the gills is useful for identification.
Stem
Stem white and may have a slight violet tint. As in other russulas, there is no ring or volva.
Smell
Mild and discreet. Flesh has a mild, nutty taste according to Svampguiden.

Occurrence and habitat

Forms mycorrhiza mainly with oak and beech and occurs in southern and central Scandinavia. Especially favours deciduous woodland on nutrient-rich soil.

Look-alike species

These mushrooms can resemble Charcoal burner. Look closely at features, habitat and images to see the differences.

Death cap
Death cap
Amanita phalloides
Deadly poisonous

The death cap can have a greenish cap and must not be confused with green brittlegills. It has a ring and volva at the stem base, so the entire stem, including the base, must be kept when collecting. The brittlegill has elastic gills and the stem lacks both ring and volva.

Read more about Death cap ›

Preparation

Clean gently and use firm specimens. Cut larger mushrooms into pieces and fry thoroughly in butter or oil until hot throughout. Good fried, in stews, sauces and soups.

Recipe suggestions

Creamy charcoal burner on toast: fry sliced mushrooms until the liquid has evaporated and they have coloured slightly. Add butter and finely chopped shallot, stir in a little cream and season with salt and black pepper. Serve on toasted sourdough.

Images – study the mushroom from several angles

Click an image to display it as the main image.

Main image – Charcoal burner
Main image
Cap / Top – Charcoal burner
Cap / Top
Underside – Charcoal burner
Underside
Stem – Charcoal burner
Stem
Habitat – Charcoal burner
Habitat
⚠ Important safety information

Brokkremla is edible, but safe identification is important. Inexperienced pickers should especially watch for death cap, which is deadly poisonous and can have a greenish cap. Do not pick russulas when the stem base is missing, as important features may be lost. Never rely on a website alone for safe identification.

Facts and sources

Sources
Svampguiden – Brokkremla, Russula cyanoxantha; SLU Artdatabanken/Artfakta; Wikimedia Commons for image material.
Checked batch 02 – fact text compiled against