Click on characters below to narrow the list of matches to the left. Choosing multiple states for one character will select taxa that match at least one chosen state ("OR" logic).

This key is based on the classic publication "Keys to the species of Russula in northeastern North America" by Kibby & Fatto, updated and edited by Wyatt Gaswick, epecially with regard to Chicago area collections. Their version of an online key can be found here. Identification within the genus Russula is very difficult, and many species have yet to be scientifically described, so don't despair if you can't find an exact match with this key.

Code based on a project funded by the Grainger Foundation ("Using New Technologies for Interactive Keys"; The Field Museum; PI R. Luecking) and the National Science Foundation (DEB-1025861 "ATM - Assembling a Taxonomic Monograph: The Lichen Family Graphidaceae; The Field Museum; PI T. Lumbsch, Co-PI R. Luecking).

Bold names indicate the most common species in the Chicago region.
Regular text indicates species that are occasionally collected in the Chicago region.
Italics denote taxa not recently found in the Chicago region (based on NIRMI and Field Museum collections since 1995)