More than 700 dried collections of Russula from a large scale four-year study conducted in the western Cascade Range of Oregon were examined and identified with the aid of several recently published species descriptions and keys to species within the genus Russula. Few regional taxonomic references to this genus were available at the time of the study. The strengths and limitations of the keys to this and other situations are described. A comparison of each key's species or species groupings for the species we encountered is provided. Suggestions for identifying Russula species in large scale ecological studies are discussed.