Russula griseopurpurata:
A mushroom collected beneath a sal tree in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district in 2022 has been identified as a new species to science, named Russula griseopurpurata.
- Russula griseopurpurata is a new species of mushroom.
- The species has so far been recorded from Meghalaya and West Bengal.
- They were found singly or in scattered groups beneath sal trees.
- It has a greyish-purple cap that develops cracks as it matures.
- Its gills show characteristic forkings near the stalk.
- It belongs to the large and diverse Russula genus.
- Although some Russula species are edible, the researchers have not established R. griseopurpurata as edible.
- Its reported mild taste and odour do not constitute a food-safety assessment.
