Winecork Brittlegill
Russula adusta
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russula_adusta
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Russulales
Family
Russulaceae
Genus
Russula
Winecork Brittlegill belongs to the family Russulaceae, order Russulales, within the Agaricomycetes class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Winecork Brittlegill faces severe threats from widespread habitat degradation and loss of mature forest ecosystems essential for its mycorrhizal relationships. Climate change and atmospheric pollution are disrupting the delicate soil chemistry and fungal networks this species depends on for survival. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority, but declining populations reflect the broader crisis facing forest-dependent fungi.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Mature deciduous and mixed forests, particularly those dominated by beech, oak, and birch trees with which it forms essential mycorrhizal partnerships. Typically found in well-established woodland ecosystems with rich, undisturbed soil layers and stable microclimate conditions.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Winecork Brittlegill faces severe threats from widespread habitat degradation and loss of mature forest ecosystems essential for its mycorrhizal relationships. Climate change and atmospheric pollution are disrupting the delicate soil chemistry and fungal networks this species depends on for survival. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority, but declining populations reflect the broader crisis facing forest-dependent fungi.
Climate change altering soil conditions
Deforestation and habitat fragmentation
Disruption of mycorrhizal host tree relationships
Atmospheric pollution and acid deposition
Forest management practices reducing old-growth habitat
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Winecork Brittlegill (Russula adusta). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/winecork-brittlegill