The fruiting body, or mushroom, is a reddish-purple, the colour of blackberry juice, and is found in coniferous woodland in summer and autumn.

Russula drimeia described by Mordecai Cubitt Cooke in 1881, R. chrysodacryon by Rolf Singer in 1923, and R. emeticiformis by William Alphonso Murrill in 1938, are synonyms.

The stem is occasionally white, but more commonly is flushed with pale purple-red, and has a grape-like; easily removed bloom.

Russula sardonia appears in late summer and autumn; growing with Pinus (pine) in coniferous woodland, on sandy soils.

The active agent has not been identified but thought to be sesquiterpenes, which have been isolated from this species[3] and the related genus Lactarius.