Russula virescens is a fungus that produces a mushroom commonly known as
the green-cracking Russula. It has a distinctive pale green cap up to
15 cm (6 in) wide, with a surface covered with angular patches in a
darker green. It has white gills and a firm white stalk up to 8 cm
(3 in) tall and 4 cm (1.6 in) thick. With a taste that is variously
described as mild, nutty, fruity, or sweet, it is regarded as one of the
best edible mushrooms of the genus Russula. Popular in Spain and China,
it can be grilled, fried, sautéed, or eaten raw. The species fruits
singly or scattered on the ground in both deciduous and mixed forests,
and is symbiotic with roots of broadleaf trees such as oak, European
beech, aspen, and some Asian lowland rainforest trees of the family
Dipterocarpaceae. First described in 1774 by Jacob Christian Schaeffer,
the species is native to Asia, North Africa, Europe, Central America,
and possibly North America. The mushroom contains a unique laccase
enzyme that can break down various dyes in laboratory and textile
wastewater.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russula_virescens>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1536:
The army of Inca Emperor Manco Inca Yupanqui began a 10-month
siege of Cuzco against a garrison of Spanish conquistadors and Indian
auxiliaries led by Hernando Pizarro.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Cuzco>
1782:
Construction began on the Grand Palace of Bangkok, the official
residence of the King of Thailand.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Palace>
1941:
American entertainer Bob Hope performed the first of his many
shows for the United Service Organizations.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Hope>
1991:
Time magazine published "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power",
an article highly critical of the Scientology organization, leading to
years of legal conflict that ended when the Church of Scientology's
petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of the United
States in the case was denied in 2001.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thriving_Cult_of_Greed_and_Power>
2002:
Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was assassinated by animal rights
and environmental activist Volkert van der Graaf in Hilversum, marking
the first political murder on Dutch soil since 1672.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Pim_Fortuyn>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
supererogation:
1. An act of doing more than is required.
2. (philosophy) An action that is neither morally forbidden or required,
but has moral value.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/supererogation>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go All
shall be well again, I know.
--Sydney Carter
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sydney_Carter>