''Agaricus macrosporus'' is a rare,
edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground (hypogeous) or above ground ...
found from June at wood fringes and in meadows.
Description
The white
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
is hemispherical and white when young, but later flattens out up to 25 cm in diameter and becomes yellowish or tan. Its
flesh
Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscle
Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as mu ...
is very thick. The
gills
A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...
are pinkish grey when young, and become brown with age. The
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...
s measure 12 by 6
μm and are purplish-brown and almond-shaped. The
stem
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure
* Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
is strong and thick, with a broad ring. It may measure 8 to 12 cm in height and up to 3 cm in diameter.
The flesh is white with a mild taste and a smell of aniseed, turning slowly orange when cut.
Similar species
There is a danger of confusing this mushroom with dangerous amanitas such as ''
Amanita phalloides
''Amanita phalloides'' (), commonly known as the death cap, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus ''Amanita''. Widely distributed across Europe, but now sprouting in other parts of the world, ''A. phalloides ...
'' and ''
Amanita pantherina
''Amanita pantherina'', also known as the panther cap, false blusher, and the panther amanita due to its similarity to the true blusher ('' Amanita rubescens''), is a species of fungus found in Europe and Western Asia.
Description
*Cap: 5†...
''. ''
Agaricus excellens
''Agaricus excellens'' (French language, French: Psaliote Excellente, German language, German: Riesen-Egerling) is a rare mushroom in the genus ''Agaricus''. It is native to Europe.
Description
* Cap: It is whitish yellow in color. Spread ov ...
'' is different by its taller and slimmer stipe which is striped lengthwise. ''
Agaricus augustus
''Agaricus augustus'', known commonly as the prince, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus ''Agaricus''.
Taxonomy
According to Heinemann's (1978) popular division of ''Agaricus'', ''A. augustus'' belongs to section ''Arvenses''. The system pro ...
'' does not have the pure white cap in young specimens.
See also
*
List of ''Agaricus'' species
References
*
*E. Garnweidner. ''Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and Europe''. Collins. 1994.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agaricus Macrosporus
macrosporus
Edible fungi
Fungi of Europe