The ochre brittlegill is a familiar sight on any woodland floor in autumn as it grows amongst the leaf litter in both coniferous and deciduous woods. Once I put a name to it I then started to encounter it just about everywhere. Although solitary by nature, rather than gregarious in troops or circles, once you find one you will generally find many others in the same area.
This is also known as the common yellow russula but that is not really helpful because it is not yellow as some fungi are; truly yellow I mean, it is more ochre in colour. However, the ochre colour makes sense of the scientific name of Russula ochorleuca - ochre-leucent!
When the cap first appears it is curved in shape, it gradually flattens out leaving a little dimple in the middle but also revealing the gills around the edges.
My book says it's an edible species but the specimens I have found are usually already in decay and do bot look in least appetising.
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