Russula amethystina is a conspicuous mushroom, which appears sporadically from mid-summer until the autumn under spruce and fir trees.

The cap ranges from 3 to 12 cm in diameter and varies in colour between violet, lilac, wine-red and wine-red-brown.

The cap skin can be pulled off from the edge, right to the centre.

[1] The spore print is cream to light orange in color.

[1] Similar species include Russula turci, which may smell like iodine near the base of the stalk;[1] otherwise it can only be distinguished by microscopic differences in spore texture.