|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Boletus impolitus
Calocybe gambosa, commonly known as St. George's mushroom, is an edible mushroom that grows mainly in woodlands. Deriving its common name from when it first appears in the UK, namely on St. George's Day. It appears in March in Italy, a warmer country, and is there known as marzolino, where it is very popular to eat. It is considered a delicacy, especially when fried in butter. The cap measures from 5-15 cm in diameter and has a smooth texture and has ridges on it. The cap, stem and flesh can be from white-creamy coloured to bright yellow. The sinuate gills are white and crowded. The flesh is thick and soft and has a mealy or cucumber smell. The spore print is white to pinkish white. The stubby stem is bulky at the base. Care must be taken not to confuse it with the highly poisonous Inocybe erubescens, which grows in the same habitats. The latter has a more pungent fruity smell and bruises red. Entoloma sinuatum, also poisonous, has a rancid smell. Coprinus comatus, the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane, often seen growing on lawns, along gravel roads and waste areas. The young fruiting bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales - this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores (hence the “ink cap” name). This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or depositing spores. When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected (it keeps very badly because of the autodigestion of its gills and cap) Description The shaggy ink cap is easily recognizable from its almost cylindical cap which initially covers most of its stem. The cap is mostly white with shaggy scales, which are more pale brown at the apex. The free gills change rapidly from white to pink, then to black. It is deliquescent. The stipe has a loose ring and measures 10-37 cm high by 1-2.5 cm diameter. Microscopically it lacks pleurocystidia. The spore print is black-brown and the spores measure 10–13 × 6.5–8 µm. The flesh is white and the taste mild Lactarius deliciosus commonly known as the Saffron milk cap, Red pine mushroom Lactarius deliciosus has a carrot orange cap which is convex to vase shaped, inrolled when young, 4 to 14 cm across, often with darker orange lines in the form of concentric circles. The cap is sticky and viscid when wet, but is often dry. It has crowded decurrent gills and a squat orange stipe which is often hollow, 3 to 8 cm long and 1 to 2 cm thick. This mushroom stains a deep green color when handled. When fresh, the mushroom exudes an orange-red latex or "milk" that does not change color. One recipe recommends they should be lightly washed, fried whole cap down in olive oil with a small amount of garlic and served drenched in raw olive oil and parsley. The same recipe advised that butter should never be used when cooking this mushroom.
Lycoperdon perlatum
The common puffball, gem-studded puffball or devil's snuff-box (Lycoperdon perlatum) is a moderate sized puffball mushroom with a round fruiting body, tapering to a wide stalk. It is off-white with a top covered in short, spiny bumps or "jewels". When mature, they become brown and a hole in the top opens to release spores which are released in a burst when the body is compressed by rain drops, a touch, falling nuts, etc. Three features distinguish this mushroom in its edible stage from the later, mature stage, and from other mushrooms:
If the inner structure is hard or contains gills or an inner stem, then it is not the gem-studded puffball, and may be poisonous—potentially even deadly.
Morchella Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible mushrooms closely related to anatomically simpler cup fungi . These distinctive mushrooms appear honeycomb-like in that the upper portion is composed of a network of ridges with pits between them. These ascocarps are prized by gourmet cooks, particularly for French cuisine. Commercial value aside, morels are hunted by thousands of people every year simply for their taste and the joy of the hunt. Morels have been called by many local names, some of the more colorful include dryland fish, due to the fact that when sliced lengthwise then breaded and fried, their outline resembles the shape of a fish; hickory chickens, as they are known in many parts of Kentucky; and merkels or miracles, based on a story of how a mountain family was saved from starvation by eating morels. Other common names for morels include sponge mushroom. Genus Morchella is derived from "morchel," an old German word for mushroom.
Morels contain small amounts of toxins that are usually removed by thorough cooking; morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw. It has been reported that even cooked morels can sometimes cause mild poisoning symptoms when consumed with alcohol.
It is important to try small amounts of any edible mushroom, and only eat ones that are clean and free of decay. Suillus grevillei (commonly known as Greville's Bolete, Larch Bolete, or Bovine Bolete)
with a tight, brilliant and dry cap where the hymenium easily separates from the flesh of the cap, with a central stalk that is quite slender. The species has a ring or a tight-fitting annular zone Suillus grevillei is a mushroom with a 5–10 cm (2–4 in) cap colored from citrus yellow to burnt orange, that is at first hemispherical, then bell-shaped, and finally flattened. It has a sticky skin, short tubes of yellow or brownish which descend down to the bottom of its cylindrical stalk (6–10 x 1-2 cm) which is cream-colored turning to reddish brown with a cream-white ring. It has a thin meat which has consistency at first but then quickly becomes soft. It has an odor reminiscent of rumpled Pelargonium geranium leaves. It grows in the soil of mixed forests, always at the foot of larch with which it lives in symbiosis. It grows from June until November. Suillus grevillei is an edible mushroom (without consistency nor flavor) if the slimy cuticle is removed. Calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the Giant puffball found in meadows, fields, and deciduous forests worldwide usually in late summer and autumn. Most giant puffballs grow to be 10 to 70 centimetres (3.9 to 28 in) in diameter, although occasionally some can reach diameters up to 150 centimetres (59 in) and weights of 20 kilograms (44 lb). The inside of the mature Giant puffballs is greenish brown, whereas the interior of immature puffballs is white. The large white mushrooms are edible when young. To distinguish giant puffballs from other species, they must be cut open; edible puffballs will have a solid white interior. Some similar mushrooms have the white interior (or yellowish) but also have the silhouette of a cap-type mushroom on the interior when cut open. These are young cap-type mushrooms and may be poisonous. The fruiting body of a puffball mushroom will develop within the period of a few weeks and soon begin to decompose and rot, at which point it is dangerous to eat. Unlike most mushrooms, all the spores of the giant puffball are created inside the fruiting body; large specimens can easily contain several trillion spores. Spores are yellowish, smooth, and 3 to 5 micrometres (0.00012 to 0.00020 in) in size. The dry spores can be used as a coagulant to help stop bleeding. Hydnum repandum, commonly known as the Wood Hedgehog or Hedgehog mushroom The orange-, yellow- or tan-colored cap is up to 6 inches (15 cm) wide and generally somewhat irregular in shape (it may be convex or concave at maturity). The underside is covered with small white spines (5–6 mm long) reminiscent of those of a hedgehog. The stem, typically 2–10 cm long and 0.6–2 cm thick, is either white or the same color as the cap, and is sometimes off-center. The spore print is white. Spores are 6.5–10 x 6.5–8 µm, roughly spherical, and smooth. There is a pure white form of this species known as H. repandum var. album. Although distinctive in appearance, the hedgehog mushroom can be confused with non-edible species. The hedgehog mushroom is considered to be a good edible, having a sweet, nutty taste and a crunchy texture. Older specimens may have a mildly bitter taste.
Jew's Ear, Hirneola auricula-judae the name from which it derives the "judae" in its scientific name, or as the jelly ear fungus conspicuously ear shaped, ranging from purple to dark brown or black in color with a rubbery texture, and most often found on dead elder trees but also on elms. These fungi typically grow on decaying elder tree branches (though in China they are commercially grown on rotting oak) and they are immediately recognizable. However, their shapes, colours and clammy nature do not immediately point to them as being an edible species. However, gathered young (whilst still soft and moist) they make excellent eating. The easiest way of harvesting is to cut them from the host tree with a sharp knife, discarding any stems. As the fungi age they become tough and all-but inedible though even the old Jew's Ear fungus can be dried and ground for use as a flavouring and thickener for soups and stews. Even young versions of this fungus need long-term cooking and have to be boiled for 45 minutes or more in stock or milk before being eaten. But the flavour is almost beyond compare, hence their value in Chinese soups. Laetiporus is a genus of edible mushrooms found throughout much of the world. Some species are commonly known as sulphur shelf, chicken of the woods, the chicken mushroom, or the chicken fungus because many think they taste like chicken. The name "chicken of the woods" is not to be confused with the edible polypore. Individual "shelves" range from 2-10 inches across. These shelves are made up of many tiny tubular filaments (hyphae). The mushroom grows in large brackets - some have been found that weigh over 100 pounds (45 kg). It is most commonly found on wounds of trees, mostly oak, though it is also frequently found on yew, cherry wood, sweet chestnut, and willow. Laetiporus species produce brown rot in the host on which they grow. Young fruiting bodies are characterized by a moist, rubbery, sulphur-yellow to orange body sometimes with bright orange tips. Older brackets become pale and brittle almost chalk like, mildly pungent, and are often dotted with beetle or slug/woodlouse holes. Similar species include Laetiporus gilbertsonii (fluorescent pink, more amorphous) and L. coniferica (common in the western United States , especially on red fir trees). Edibility traits for the different species have not been well documented, although all are generally considered edible with caution. The sulphur shelf mushroom sometimes comes back year after year when the weather suits its sporulation preferences. From late spring to early autumn, the sulphur shelf thrives, making it a boon to mushroom hunters and a bane to those concerned about the health of their trees. This fungus causes a brown cubicle rot and embrittlement which in later stages ends in the collapse of the host tree, as it can no longer flex and bend in the wind.
Macrolepiota procera, commonly known as the parasol mushroom
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
Pleurotus ostreatus, commonly known as the Oyster mushroom, is a common edible mushroom. The mushroom has a cap spanning 5–25 cm broad, fan or oyster-shaped; Natural specimens range from white to gray or tan to dark-brown; margin inrolled when young, smooth and often somewhat lobed or wavy. Flesh white, firm, varies in thickness due to stipe arrangement. The gills of the mushroom are white to cream, descend stalk if present. If so, stipe off-center with lateral attachment to wood. The spore print of the mushroom is white to lilac-gray, best viewed on dark background. The mushroom's stipe is often absent. When present it is short and thick. The taste of the mushroom is described as mild with a mild odor of anise. There are no poisonous lookalikes that grow in North America, however Omphalotus nidiformis is a toxic lookalike that is found in Australia and Japan. The Oyster Mushroom is widespread in temperate and subtropical forests throughout the world It acts as a primary decomposer on wood, especially deciduous, particularly beech. The standard oyster mushroom can grow in many places but some other related species such as the branched oyster mushroom grow on trees |
Important Poisoning Disclaimer.By viewing the page(s) on this website you agree that "Wishing well" Gardens accepts no liability for any injury or death occurring as a result of ingesting or exposure to any mushroom or fungi described or listed on our website.
Many mushrooms are poisonous some are deadly poisonous. We have made every effort to ensure accuracy on this website however, in the end, the responsibility for eating any mushroom or fungus must rest with you the individual If you collect any mushrooms to eat make sure that your identification checks out in every detail. Never eat any wild mushroom until an expert mycologist has checked your identification.
If you do not agree to view this website under these terms, please click away now.
How to avoid mushroom poisoning from Shelley Evans' guidelines in "Guides for the Amateur Mycologist
1. Unfamiliar Species: Check and re-check your identification, especially looking out for a similar poisonous species. If still in doubt, ask an expert or throw it away. 2. Examine each specimen. Always check each specimen in case a different species has got in amongst your collection of edible ones. 3. Keep your collections separate. Do not mix edible and non-edible species in a collecting tray if you are collecting for the pot. It is a good idea if collecting for the pot to only collect edible species and not other species for identification purposes. 4. Check the spore print. A simple operation, leaving a cap on some paper and covering for an hour or so. This will help check your identification. 5. Do not eat raw wild fungi. Some wild fungi are poisonous if eaten raw, e.g. Wood Blewit, Lepista nuda, the Blusher, Amanita rubescens or species of Helvella. Always cook your collections.
6. Retain an uncooked specimen. This is a very sensible idea. Keep one example of what you have eaten in the fridge. In case, you do poison yourself, this will help others identify what you have eaten and therefore know how to treat you. Different species contain different toxins, therefore treatments will vary. 7. Only eat good specimens. Many poisoning cases occur when edible species are eaten in poor condition. Only eat good specimens! 8. Keep your collections in the fridge. This keeps your specimens in good condition. 9. Experimenting. If experimenting and eating a type for the first time, only eat a small amount. Different people react to fungi in different ways and it is safer to test your own body out gently! 10. Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol with species you haven't eaten before and with certain species, e.g. the Common Ink Cap, Coprinus atramentarius. 11. Fear. Do not feed wild mushrooms to people who don't want to eat them. Fear can make people sick. 12. Susceptible people. Do not serve wild fungi to young children, old or sick people. Their resistance may be lower. 13. Greed. Do not eat large quantities of wild mushrooms in one sitting. This alone can make you sick.
Stick to these species and you should not go too far wrong. However, remember that different people react in different ways and you must be careful. Eating a species on this list does not necessarily mean that you will not react to it. Please Do not identify any of these species just from these pictures alone. Always use a good field guide to make your identification, OR ask an expert
As there are a few poisonous Mushrooms, toadstools and Fungi, (as previously stated), do not experiment with wild fungi unless you are very sure about your identification. We have listed here as many edible mushrooms as we can, but the resposabilty lies with you to identify them properly before eating, we do suggest you read the poisonous page (Deadly Fungi) before continuing:-
There are over 15,000 plants that have been recorded as edible, yet in our current society you'll be lucky to find more than 25 of them in your local supermarket!
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
