Mushroom 6th series of Iceland

Iceland Post issued the regularly stamp set features mushroom series. The sixth series has issued  only one stamp and  one FDC on July 02, 2012. The species depicted is The crab brittlegill or Russula xerampelina. It is edible mushroom.

Russula xerampelina, also commonly known as the crab brittlegill or the shrimp mushroom, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the brittlegill genus Russula.Older mushroom smell of shellfish or herring. This mushroom grows in grassy woodlands and peaty soil. It it common in Iceland. The species is mainly characterized by its odour and is often called "herring russula". The crab brittlegill is the main species.

Russula xerampelina has a characteristic odour of boiled crustacean. The cap is 6–12 cm  wide, domed, flat, or with a slightly depressed centre, and sticky. The colour is variable, most commonly purple to wine-red, or greenish, and darker towards the centre of the cap.Abroad it seems to prefer coniferous woodlands but in Iceland it is often found in birch woods with the leaves of the mountain avens flower (Dryas octopetala).

All young herring russulas are edible but the flesh becomes maggoty and the odour grows stronger with age.The taste of Russula xerampelina is mild. This Russula is considered one of the best edible species of its genus, although the crab, or shrimp taste and smell will persist even when cooking.