View source for Blusher

{{Short description|Species of fungus}}
{{For|the cosmetics product|Rouge (cosmetics)}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Blusher
| image = Amanita rubescens.JPG
| image_caption = ''Amanita rubescens'' in Italy
| taxon = Amanita rubescens
| authority = ([[Christian Hendrik Persoon|Pers.]] ex [[Elias Magnus Fries|Fr.]]) [[Samuel Frederick Gray|Gray]]
}}
{{mycomorphbox
| name = ''Amanita rubescens''
| whichGills = free
| capShape = flat
| hymeniumType = gills
| stipeCharacter = ring
| ecologicalType = mycorrhizal
| sporePrintColor = white
| howEdible = edible
| howEdible2 = caution
}}

The '''blusher''' is the common name for several closely related species of the genus ''[[Amanita]]''. '''''A.&nbsp;rubescens''''' (the '''blushing amanita''') is found in Eurasia and '''''A.'''&nbsp;'''novinupta''''' (the '''new bride blushing amanita''' or '''blushing bride''')<ref name="NGSWG">{{NGSWG}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Schwarz |first1=Christian |title=Mushrooms of the redwood coast: a comprehensive guide to the fungi of coastal northern California |last2=Siegel |first2=Noah |date=2016 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=978-1-60774-817-5 |location=Berkeley}}</ref> is found in western North America. Both their scientific and common names stem from the tendency of their flesh to bruise pink.

Blushers are difficult to distinguish from similar species, but one identifying feature is the pink bruising. The mushroom is [[Edible mushroom|edible]] and tasty, sought for in several European countries.

== Taxonomy ==
''Amanita rubescens'' is native to Europe and Asia, with related species being confused for it in other regions.<ref name="j707">{{cite journal |last1=Quintero-Corrales |first1=Christian A. |last2=Vega |first2=Melania |last3=Ramírez-Terrazo |first3=Amaranta |last4=Águila |first4=Bernardo |last5=Garibay-Orijel |first5=Roberto |date=2024-06-24 |title=Downfall of an empire: Unmasking the hidden diversity and distribution of the Amanita rubescens species complex |journal=Mycologia |volume=116 |issue=5 |pages=642–649 |doi=10.1080/00275514.2024.2355276 |issn=0027-5514 |pmid=38913569}}</ref> ''Amanita novinupta'' can be found in western North America.<ref name=":1" />

Other closely related species and variants include ''Amanita brunneolocularis'',  ''A.&nbsp;orsonii'', ''A.&nbsp;rubescens'' var. ''alba'', and ''A.&nbsp;rubescens'' var. ''congolensis''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Amanita brunneolocularis Tulloss, Ovrebo and Halling |url=http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/brunlocu.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207054336/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/brunlocu.html |archive-date=2006-12-07 |access-date=2007-01-06}}</ref><ref name="j707" />

== Description ==
''A. rubescens'' has a reddish-brown convex [[Pileus (mycology)|pileus]] (cap), which is {{convert|5–15|cm|abbr=off|frac=2}} across, and strewn with small white-to-mahogany warts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last1=Davis|first1=R. Michael|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/797915861|title=Field Guide to Mushrooms of Western North America|last2=Sommer|first2=Robert|last3=Menge|first3=John A.|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|year=2012|isbn=978-0-520-95360-4|location=Berkeley|pages=73–74|oclc=797915861}}</ref> It is sometimes covered with an ochre-yellow flush which can be washed by the rain. The flesh of the mushroom is white, becoming pink when bruised or exposed to air. The [[stipe (mycology)|stipe]] (stem) is white with flushes of the cap colour, and grows to 5–15&nbsp;cm.<ref name=":0" /> The [[Gill (mushroom)|gills]] are white and free of the stem, and display red spots when damaged. The [[Annulus (mycology)|ring]] is striate (i.e. has ridges) on its upper side. The [[Basidiospore|spores]] are white, ovate, [[amyloid]],<ref name=":0" /> and approximately 8 by 5&nbsp;[[μm]] in size. The [[Flavour (taste)|flavour]] of the uncooked flesh is mild, but has a faint acrid [[aftertaste]]. The smell is not strong.

''A. novinupta'' has a whitish cap 5–15&nbsp;cm wide and stem up to 12&nbsp;cm long.<ref name="audu">{{Cite book |last=[[Audubon]] |title=Mushrooms of North America |publisher=[[Knopf]] |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-593-31998-7 |pages=536}}</ref> It also blushes pink<ref name=":1" /> and has a mild smell and white [[spore print]].<ref name="audu" />

=== Similar species ===
Several related species are difficult to distinguish.<ref name="audu" /> The pink blush is a key feature in differentiating blushers from [[Amanita pantherina|''A.&nbsp;pantherina'']] (the [[Mushroom poisoning|poisonous]] false blusher), the flesh of which does not. ''A.&nbsp;pantherina'' also lacks a striate ring.

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Amanita.Amerirubescens.001.jpg|''Amanita'' 'amerirubescens' <!--not a published name per Index Fungorum?-->
|Amanita.Amerirubescens.002.jpg|Underside of ''A.'' 'amerirubescens' <!--not a published name per Index Fungorum?-->
|Muchomůrka růžová 1.jpg|Blushers at various ages
|Amanita rubescens 12.jpg|''A. rubescens''
|Amanita rubescens f. annulosulphurea.jpg|''A. rubescens'' f. annulosulphurea
|Amanita rubescens100.jpg|''A. rubescens'' cap
|Amanita rubescens group.jpg|Illustration of ''A. rubescens'' group
}}

== Distribution and habitat ==
[[File:Amanita rubescens 333.jpg|thumb|''Amanita rubescens'']]

''A. rubescens'' is common throughout much of Europe and Asia. It grows on poor soils as well as in [[deciduous]] and [[conifer]]ous woodlands, appearing from June through to November in the UK. It has also been recorded from South Africa, where it is thought to have been accidentally introduced with trees imported from Europe.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Reid DA, Eicker A|year=1991|title=South African fungi: the genus ''Amanita''|journal=Mycological Research|volume=95|pages=80–95|url=http://www.msu.edu/user/hallenhe/SAJB%20amatoxin.pdf|access-date=2007-11-13|doi=10.1016/S0953-7562(09)81364-6}}</ref> 

''A. novinupta'' is found in western North America, especially California.<ref name="audu" /> Additionally, there are several North American species known as ''A.&nbsp;amerirubescens''.<ref name="j707" />

== Ecology ==
The mushroom is often attacked by insects.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In eastern North America, species in the ''A.&nbsp;rubescens'' group are frequently parasitized by ''[[Hypomyces hyalinus]]''.  Parasitized fruiting bodies are extremely difficult to recognize unless they occur in conjunction with healthy ones, although some retain the "blushing" characteristic of the species.<ref>Michael Kuo, [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hypomyces_hyalinus.html Hypomyces hyalinus], [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ MushroomExpert.com], Oct. 2003.</ref>

== Uses ==
''A. rubescens'' is edible when cooked.<ref>{{cite book|last=Phillips|first=Roger|url=https://archive.org/details/mushroomsotherfu0000phil|title=Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America|publisher=Firefly Books|year=2010|isbn=978-1-55407-651-2|location=Buffalo, NY|page=[https://archive.org/details/mushroomsotherfu0000phil/page/28 28]|url-access=registration}}</ref> ''A.&nbsp;rubescens'' contains a toxic [[hemolytic]] protein in its raw state, although it is not apparently harmful to consume and can be destroyed by cooking.<ref name=":1">{{cite book|last1=Roberts|first1=Peter|last2=Evans|first2=Shelley|title=The Book of Fungi|date=15 April 2011 |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|isbn=978-0-226-72117-0|pages=57}}</ref> It is noted in some mushroom books as poisonous, with [[David Pegler]] stating that if eaten raw in large quantities it can cause severe [[anaemia]] if left untreated; Pegler classifies it as a [[blood cell]]-damaging ([[haemolytic]]-poisoning) mushroom.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pegler |first=Prof David |title=Easy Edible Mushroom Guide |publisher=Duncan Petersen |year=1999 |isbn=185410631-7 |pages=182}}</ref> It also resembles some toxic species.<ref name="Arora1986">{{Cite book |last=Arora |first=David |author-link=David Arora |url=https://archive.org/details/arora-david-mushrooms-demystified-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-fleshy-fungi-ten-speed-press-1986/page/276/mode/2up |title=Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi |date=1986 |publisher=[[Ten Speed Press]] |isbn=978-0-89815-170-1 |edition=2nd |location=Berkeley, CA |pages=276–77 |orig-date=1979}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Fungi}}
*[[List of Amanita species|List of ''Amanita'' species]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
Easy Edible mushroom Gide by Prof. David Pegler ISBN 185410631-7

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/key.dir/valirube.pdf "Tabular and Nontabular Keys to the Rubescent Species of ''Amanita'' section ''Validae''"] by Rodham E. Tulloss, March 10, 2003.

===''Amanita rubescens''===
*[http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita_rubescens.html "Amanita rubescens"] by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.Com'', March 2003.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061207054623/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/ruberube.html "Amanita rubescens Pers.:Fr."] by Rodham E. Tulloss, June 25, 2006.

===''Amanita novinupta''===
*[http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita_novinupta.html "Amanita novinupta"] by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.Com'', March 2003.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205070358/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/novinupt.html "Amanita novinupta Tulloss & J. Lindgr."] by Rodham E. Tulloss, July 25, 2006.
*[http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Amanita_novinupta.html "Amanita novinupta"] by Michael Wood & Fred Stevens, ''MykoWeb'', 2004. And will

===Other species===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061207054336/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/brunlocu.html "Amanita brunneolocularis Tulloss, Ovrebo & Halling"] by Rodham E. Tulloss, October 6, 2006.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205064124/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/flavorub.html "Amanita flavorubens (Berk. & Mont.) Sacc."] by Rodham E. Tulloss, July 25, 2006.
*[http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita_flavorubescens.html "Amanita flavorubescens"] by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.Com'', September 2002.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205070618/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/orsoniis.html "Amanita orsonii A. Kumar & T. N. Lakh."] by Rodham E. Tulloss, July 25, 2006.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061207054348/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/rubealba.html "Amanita rubescens var. alba Coker"] by Rodham E. Tulloss, July 25, 2006.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061207054551/http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/congolen.html "Amanita rubescens var. congolensis Beeli"] by Rodham E. Tulloss, July 25, 2006.

{{Poisonous Amanitas}}
{{Amanitas}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q623485}}

[[Category:Amanita]]
[[Category:Fungi of Europe]]
[[Category:Fungi of the United States]]
[[Category:Poisonous fungi]]
[[Category:Fungi without expected TNC conservation status]]
[[Category:Fungus species]]