Russula solaris
inedible
It tastes hot, whereas Russula acetolens is mild. Taste a small piece and spit it out again. Inedible, causes gastrointestinal upset.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
Russula acetolens is a small brittlegill with a glossy yellow cap, saffron-yellow gills and an intensely yellow spore print. Old fruiting bodies smell of vinegar. It has a mild taste, but is rare and very brittle and therefore of no importance as an edible mushroom.
SeasonJuly to October
Spore printintensely yellow
FamilyRussulaceae
- Cap. The cap measures about 2 to 5 cm, is yellow and glossy, domed when young and later flat.
- Underside. The gills are saffron-yellow, brittle and moderately crowded.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is whitish to yellowish and fragile. There is no ring and no volva.
- Smell and taste. The taste is mild. Old fruiting bodies smell distinctly of vinegar.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white and very brittle.
Lookalikes
Russula acetolens is a small, yellow brittlegill with a mild taste and is considered edible. It plays no role as an edible mushroom, as it is rare and very brittle. The similar Russula solaris tastes hot and is inedible. Always do a taste test and spit it out.
Russula risigallina
edibleAlso yellow, with a yellow spore print and mild hotness. Both are edible and can be told apart safely only by experts. Russula risigallina is more common.
Side by side
| Russula acetolens | Russula solaris | Russula risigallina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | 2 to 5 cm, yellow, glossy | yellow, glossy, sticky | yellow, often tinged green or pink |
| Underside | saffron-yellow, brittle gills | cream to yellowish gills | cream-yellow to yolk-yellow gills |
| Stem | whitish to yellowish, fragile | white, brittle | white, brittle |
| Flesh | very brittle | brittle, hot-tasting | brittle, mild |
| Edibility | Edible | inedible | edible |
Habitat & Season
No reliable information. No reliable information.
Host trees
No reliable information.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Rough estimate; the fruiting period depends on the weather.
Mushroom regions with a daily forecast
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
Chance near you
How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Only eat mushrooms you have identified beyond doubt, and always cook them thoroughly.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Austria
Poison centre:
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Conservation and collecting rules
Not specially protected.
In the kitchen
The mushroom is very brittle and small and is hardly ever collected. If at all, use it only as part of a mixed dish. Cook for at least 15 minutes.
No reliable information on drying. Do a taste test before eating; do not use brittlegills with a hot taste. Of no importance as an edible mushroom.
- Never eat wild mushrooms raw, and always cook them for at least 15 minutes.
- Use only young, fresh, maggot-free mushrooms that you have identified with certainty.
- Carry mushrooms in an airy basket, not in plastic bags, and process them on the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Russula acetolens edible?
Yes, it has a mild taste and is considered edible. But it is rare and very brittle and plays no role as an edible mushroom.
How do I recognise it?
By the small, glossy yellow cap, the saffron-yellow gills and the intensely yellow spore print. Old fruiting bodies smell of vinegar.
What can it be confused with?
Mainly with the hot-tasting Russula solaris, which is inedible. A short taste test, without swallowing, shows the difference.
Related species
- Charcoal burner Russula cyanoxantha
- Bare-toothed Russula Russula vesca
- Green-cracking russula Russula virescens
- Russet brittlegill Russula mustelina
- Russula amethystina Russula amethystina
- Nutty brittlegill Russula integra
Sources
- Wikipedia: Glänzendgelber Dotter-Täubling
- GBIF: Russula acetolens Rauschert
- Index Fungorum: Namensabfrage Russula acetolens
Photo credits
- Photo: Anna Baykalova (anna_ru), Mushroom Observer · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Russula solaris: Photo: Toffel · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.