The Pluteaceae are a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

of small to medium-sized

mushrooms A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the na ...

which have free

gill 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 ...

attachment and pink

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. Members of Pluteaceae can be mistaken for members of

Entolomataceae The Entolomataceae, also known as Rhodophyllaceae, are a large family of pink-spored terrestrial gilled mushrooms which includes the genera ''Entoloma'', '' Rhodocybe'', and ''Clitopilus''. The family collectively contains over 1500 species, th ...

, but can be distinguished by the angled spores and attached gills of the Entolomataceae. The four genera in the Pluteaceae comprise the widely distributed ''

Volvariella ''Volvariella'' is a genus of mushrooms with deep salmon pink gills and spore prints. Description They lack a ring, and have an Amanita-like volva at the stem base. Some species of Amanita look similar, but Amanita has white spores and often ...

'' and ''

Pluteus ''Pluteus'' is a large genus of fungi with over 300 species. They are wood rotting saprobes with pink spore prints and gills that are free from the stem. The Latin word ''Pluteus'' means ''shed or penthouse''. Characteristics of the genus ...

'', the rare '' Chamaeota'', and ''

Volvopluteus ''Volvopluteus'' is a genus of small to medium-sized or big saprotrophic mushrooms growing worldwide. The genus has been segregated from ''Volvariella'' with which it shares some morphological characteristics such as the presence of a volva an ...

'', which was newly described in 2011 as a result of

molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...

analysis. The ''Dictionary of the Fungi'' (10th edition, 2008) estimates there are 364 species in the family.

Selected species

* ''

Pluteus cervinus ''Pluteus cervinus'', also known as ''Pluteus atricapillus'' and commonly known as the deer shield or the deer or fawn mushroom, is a mushroom that belongs to the large genus ''Pluteus''. It is found on rotten logs, roots and tree stumps and is ...

'', synonym ''Pluteus atricapillus'', or deer mushroom * ''Pluteus concentricus'' * ''

Pluteus leoninus ''Pluteus leoninus'', commonly known as lion shield, can occasionally be found growing on dead wood in Europe and North Africa. The underside of the cap is typical of the genus ''Pluteus'' — the gills are pale, soon becoming pink when the spor ...

'' * ''Pluteus murinus'' * ''

Pluteus salicinus ''Pluteus salicinus'' is a European psychedelic mushroom that grows on wood. It is an edible mushroom after parboiling. Taxonomy The species was originally described by Christian Hendrik Persoon as ''Agaricus salicinus'' in 1798. Paul Kummer tr ...

'', or the knackers crumpet (hallucinogenic) * ''

Volvariella volvacea ''Volvariella volvacea'' (also known as paddy straw mushroom or straw mushroom) is a species of edible mushroom cultivated throughout East and Southeast Asia and used extensively in Asian cuisines. They are often available fresh in regions they ...

'' * ''

Volvopluteus gloiocephalus ''Volvopluteus gloiocephalus,'' commonly known as the big sheath mushroom, rose-gilled grisette, or stubble rosegill, is a species of mushroom in the family Pluteaceae. For most of the 20th century it has been known under the names ''Volvarie ...

References

External links

Family Pluteaceae information and pictures

Many pictures of species

Agaricales families {{Agaricales-stub

Selected species

See also

References

External links