Russula pulchra Burlingham.
Cap 4-10cm across, soon flattened to slightly depressed at center; surface scarlet red to cerise, becoming pale peach or cream at center; dry, pulverulent, often minutely cracking; cuticle hardly peeling. Gills equal, forked at stem; white. Stem 30-100 x 15-25mm, equal to pointed at base, firm to spongy. Flesh white. Odor nil. Taste mild. Spores ellipsoid, 8.7-10 x 7-7.5µ; warts up to 0.8µ high, with a few connectives, no real reticulum. Deposit pale cream (B-D). Habitat under mixed deciduous trees, especially beech and oak. Quite common. Found in eastern North America. Season July-September. Edible. (Never eat any mushroom until you are certain it is edible as many are poisonous and some are deadly poisonous.) Comment Distinguished by means of its dry, pruinose, bright red cap cracking into areolae, combined with its mild taste.