Russula subnigricans

Russula subnigricans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Russulales
Family:	Russulaceae
Genus:	Russula
Species:	R. subnigricans
Binomial name
Russula subnigricans Hongo (1955) [1]

Russula subnigricans Mycological characteristics
	Gills on hymenium
	Cap is convex
	Hymenium is free
	Stipe is bare
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is mycorrhizal
	Edibility is poisonous or deadly

Russula subnigricans, known as the rank russula, ^[2] or Nise-Kurohatsu (Japanese), meaning "false blackening russula" is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Russula found in East Asia. It is poisonous.

Taxonomy

The species was named by Japanese mycologist Tsuguo Hongo in 1955. ^[1]

The name was formerly applied to the North American fungus Russula eccentrica in California. ^[3] It has been reclassified as Russula cantharellicola, where it grows in association with Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak) trees in California oak woodland habitats. ^[4]

Description

The flesh turns pale red when cut, but does not turn black, unlike Russula nigricans . ^[1]

Toxicity

Russula subnigricans is a poisonous mushroom, ^[2] and has been responsible for mushroom poisoning in Taiwan and Japan. The effect is a serious one, rhabdomyolysis.

The toxins responsible are the very unusual cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid (a toxic molecule consisting of only 10 atoms) and Russuphelin A (a heavily chlorinated polyphenolic). ^{[5] [6]}

See also

• List of deadly fungi
• List of Russula species

References

1. Tsuguo Hongo (1955) Notes Japanese Larger Fungi(6). The Journal of Japanese Botany（植物研究雑誌）30(3), p.73-76. doi:10.51033/jjapbot.30_3_3843
2. Arora D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi . Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. pp. 90–91. ISBN   978-0-89815-169-5.
3. Wood M, Stevens F (2007). "California Fungi:Russula eccentrica". The Fungi of California website. Mykoweb. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
4. Openjournals.wsu.edu: "A new species of Russula, subgenus Compactae from California" (2014).
5. Editorial. "Experts identify toxic compound in deadly mushroom". Reuters.com. Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
6. Takahashi A, Agatsuma T, Matsuda M, Ohta T, Nunozawa T, Endo T, Nozoe S (1992). "Russuphelin A, a new cytotoxic substance from the mushroom Russula subnigricans Hongo". Chem Pharm Bull. 40 (12): 3185–88. doi: 10.1248/cpb.40.3185 . PMID   1294320.

External links

• Cornell University Mycology Blog: "A deadly Russula"
• Data related to Russula subnigricans at Wikispecies