My watch list
my.bionity.com  
Login  

Parasol mushroom



Parasol mushroom

Conservation status
Secure
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Homobasidiomycetes
Subclass: Homobasidiomycetidae
Order: Agaricales
Family: Lepiotaceae
Genus: Macrolepiota
Species: M. procera
Binomial name
Macrolepiota procera
(Scop. : Fr.) Sing.
Parasol mushroom
mycological characteristics:
 
gills on hymenium
 

cap is flat

 

hymenium is free

 

stipe has a ring

 

spore print is white

 

ecology is saprophytic

 
 

edibility: choice but not recommended

The parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) is a basidiomycete fungus with a large, prominent fruiting body resembling a lady's parasol. It is a fairly common species on well-drained soils. It is found solitary or in groups and fairy rings in pastures and occasionally in woodland. Globally, it is widespread in temperate regions.

Contents

Features

The height and cap diameter of a mature specimen may both reach 40 cm, a size truly impressive for the fruiting body of an agaric. The stipe is relatively thin and reaches full height before the cap has expanded. The stipe is very fibrous in texture which garners it inedible. The surface is characteristically wrapped in a snakeskin-like pattern of scaly growths. The immature cap is compact and egg-shaped, with the cap margin around the stipe, sealing a chamber inside the cap. As it matures, the margin breaks off, leaving a fleshy, movable ring around the stipe. At full maturity, the cap is more or less flat, with a chocolate-brown umbo in the centre that is leathery to touch. Dark and cap-coloured flakes remain on the upper surface of the cap and can be removed easily. The gills are crowded, free, and white with a pale pink tinge sometimes present. The spore print is white. It has a pleasant nutty smell. When sliced, the white flesh may turn a pale pink.

Uses

It is a very sought after and popular fungus in Europe, due in part to its large size, seasonal frequency and versatility in the kitchen.

The parasol mushroom is difficult to mistake for any other, especially in regions like eastern Europe where the poisonous look-alike Chlorophyllum molybdites does not occur. Nevertheless, as with picking any fungus for consumption, caution should be exercised at all times.

The parasol mushroom must be eaten cooked. It is popular fried in butter. Only the cap of fresh specimens is considered edible.

Similar species

Smaller but similar in appearance is the common shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes.) Its edibility is suspect as it causes mild sickness in some people, especially when eaten raw. One must learn to distinguish the two as their geographical ranges overlap.

Differences from the parasol mushroom include its smaller dimensions, pungent (fruity) and reddening flesh when cut, lack of patterns on its stipe, and very shaggy cap surface.

Macrolepiota mastoidea, a European species, is yet another very large edible mushroom. Its dimensions are generally smaller than that of M. procera and the markings on its stipe less obvious. It is also much rarer.

Species of Agaricus have brown spores and the gills of mature specimens are never white.

There are a few poisonous species which can be mistaken for M. procera.

  • Chlorophyllum molybdites, a species that causes the largest number of annual mushroom poisonings in North America due to its close similarity. Faintly green gills and a pale green spore print give it away. Its range is reportedly expanding into Europe. [1]
  • Leucocoprinus brunnea, also found in North America, slowly turns brown when sliced.
  • White and immature species of Amanita are also a potential hazard. To be sure, one must only pick parasol mushrooms past their button stage.

As such, some mycologists do not recommend eating M. procera due to these dangerous lookalikes as even skilled mushroom hunters have been tricked and poisoned.

References

  1. ^ http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/mycology/1996-September/004542.html
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Parasol_mushroom". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
Your browser is not current. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 does not support some functions on Chemie.DE