Local Name
Bghavana (1), Jghavana (okr.) (2), K’at’amch’q’avana (rach.) (3).

Description
Cap: The cap is 5–10 cm, convex then expanded depressed, slightly viscid to shiny when dry, smooth, the cuticle almost entirely peeling, pure bright red. Gills are adnate, not very close, white and remaining so, sometimes with pale yellowish tints when young. Stem: The stem is 5–8 cm tall, 1–1.5 cm thick, cylindric, white or whitish, rarely with a pinkish tinge. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, soon fragile, taste very acrid. Spores: The spores are 8–11 X 7–8.5 µm, elliptical, with numerous, large conical, often pointed warts.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed woodland. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (4).

Uses
Edibility: Edible when marinated (1).

Racha — “It’s a red mushroom, inedible” (3).

References
1. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
2. Ghlonti, A. (1974) Dictionary of the Georgian Dialects. Vol. I. Tbilisi: Ganatleba.
3. Kobakhidze, A. (1987) Dictionary of the Rachan Dialect. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
4. Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).