Key to Russula subgenus Russula from China

1. Pileipellis with primordial hypha, the surface of pileus is mainly purple tone ................................................ R. purpureoverrucosa

1. Pileipellis without primordial hypha ..................................................................................................................................................2

2. Spore print cream, ochre yellow to yellow.........................................................................................................................................3

2. Spore print white to cream .................................................................................................................................................................4

3. Basidiomata medium-sized .......................................................................................................................................... R. rubiginosus

3. Basidiocarps small to medium-sized ................................................................................................................... R. heilongjiangensis

4. Stipe with brownish tone ............................................................................................................................................... R. subversatili

4. Stipe with red, rose red, purple tone...................................................................................................................................................5

4. Stipe with yellow tone ........................................................................................................................................................................7

4. Stipe white ........................................................................................................................................................................................14

5. Lamellulae not observed..................................................................................................................................................... R. begonia

5. Lamellulae present......................................................................................................................................................... R. rhodochroa

5. Lamellulae rare...................................................................................................................................................................................6

6. Lamellae adnate, white....................................................................................................................................................... R. photinia

6. Lamellae adnate to adnexed, white to cream............................................................................................................................. R. rufa

7. Pileus with red tone ...................................................................................................................................................... R. sinorobusta

7. Pileus with brown tone .......................................................................................................................................................................8

7. Pileus with pink tone ..........................................................................................................................................................................9

8. Context slowly and partly turning ocherous color after bruising............................................................................... R. khinganensis

8. Context unchanging after bruising ....................................................................................................................... R. vinosobrunneola

9. Central dark red to deep red pileus...................................................................................................................................................10

9. Central light yellow to yellowish-brown pileus ......................................................................................................... R. yanshanensis

10. Lamellae hardly forked.................................................................................................................................................... R. sinoparva

10. Lamellae usually forked ....................................................................................................................................... R. pseudosinoparva

11. Very little red tone on the pileus.......................................................................................................................................................12

11. Pileus with red tone ..........................................................................................................................................................................14

11. Pileus with pink tone ........................................................................................................................................................................19

11. Pileus with yellow tone ................................................................................................................................................. R. miyunensis

11. Pileus white ........................................................................................................................................................................... R. nivalis

12. Stipe spongy to hollow ............................................................................................................................................... R. zhejiangensis

12. Stipe hollow......................................................................................................................................................................................13

13. Lamellulae present............................................................................................................................................................. R. jilinensis

13. Lamellulae absent........................................................................................................................................................ R. sichuanensis

14. Flesh of the pileus organisms turns slightly yellow after injury.............................................................................................. R. chiui

14. Flesh of the pileus organisms no color change after injury..............................................................................................................15

15. Slightly pungent to moderately pungent flavor ................................................................................................................................16

15. Soft flavor.........................................................................................................................................................................................17

16. Lamellulae absent.............................................................................................................................................................. R. quercina

16. Lamellulae present................................................................................................................................................. R. brunneovinacea

17. Stipe hollow......................................................................................................................................................................................18

17. Stipe firm ................................................................................................................................................................................ R. plana

17. Stipe spongy ......................................................................................................................................................................... R. fanjing

18. Yellowish red to reddish brown pileus center......................................................................................................... R. leucomarginata

18. Reddish white to ruby red in the pileus center .................................................................................................................... R. roseola

18. Reddish brown to dark brown pileus center........................................................................................................... R. subsanguinaria

19. Lamellae intervenose................................................................................................................................................... R. coronaspora

19. Lamellae adnate...................................................................................................................................................................... R. minor