Class Homobasidiomycetae | Division Basidiomycota Subclass Hymenomycetes Rank Species | |
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Similar Russula nigricans, Clitocybe acromelalga, Amanita verna, Amanita exitialis, Entoloma rhodopolium | ||
Russula subnigricans fungi kingdom
Russula subnigricans, known as Nisekurohatsu (Japanese), is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Russula found in China, Japan, and Taiwan.
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Description
The flesh turns pale red when cut, but doesn't turn black unlike Russula nigricans.
The species was named by Japanese mycologist Tsuguo Hongo in 1955.
The name was formerly applied to the North American fungus Russula eccentrica in California. It has been reclassified as Russula cantharellicola, where it grows in association with coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees in California oak woodland habitats.
Toxicity
Russula subnigricans is a toxic mushroom linked to cases of mushroom poisoning in Taiwan and Japan. It causes a severe condition known as rhabdomyolysis.
Several active agents have been isolated, one is designated russuphelin A by researchers in Japan. The toxin has been identified as cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid and has only four carbon atoms.
