''Rhodocybe gemina'', or ''Clitopilus geminus'', is a species of
fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...
in the
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, the ...
family. It produces
fruit bodies
The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...
that are fleshy, medium-sized, and cream-coloured when young, colouring brownish when mature.
Description
The
skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other cuticle, animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have diffe ...
of the
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 matte, not slimy or shiny. At first the cap is somewhat
umbonate
'' Cantharellula umbonata'' has an umbo.
The cap of '' Psilocybe makarorae'' is acutely papillate.">papillate.html" ;"title="Psilocybe makarorae'' is acutely papillate">Psilocybe makarorae'' is acutely papillate.
An umbo is a raised area in the ...
, later becoming irregular and flattened. 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
adnate
Adnate may refer to:
* Adnation, in botany, the fusion of two or more whorls of a flower
* Adnate, in mycology, a classification of lamellae (gills)
* Conjoined twins
Conjoined twins – sometimes popularly referred to as Siamese twins – are ...
to
decurrent
''Decurrent'' (sometimes decurring) is a term used in botany and mycology to describe plant or fungal parts that extend downward.
In botany, the term is most often applied to leaf blades that partly wrap or have wings around the stem or petio ...
in attachment and the stem is whitish – often lighter than the gills and relatively short, but always lacking a
veil
A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...
or
volva. The
spore print
300px, Making a spore print of the mushroom ''Volvariella volvacea'' shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print. A 3.5-centimeter ...
is flesh coloured to salmon-pink.
Microscopically the spores are angular when viewed on end; when viewed from the side they are bumpy.
[
A ]saprotrophic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi (f ...
species, it grows generally in grassland and parks, but some are found in woodlands, both broad leaved and occasionally coniferous
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant ...
.
The mushroom has a pleasant mealy scent, spicy and slightly aromatic, but can taste slightly overpowering when raw. It is described as a choice edible
An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from "eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...
in Germany[ and is regularly sought after, but is rare in the UK and probably worth protecting.][
]
Naming
This species was also known as ''Rhodocybe truncata'' (Gillet) Sing. ex Bon in the past, but this was a mistake and this usage was illegitimate. The specimen originally described as ''R. truncata'' (Schaeff.) Singer by Schäffer must have been something else.[
DNA analysis from 2009 has shown that genus '' Rhodocybe'' is ]polyphyletic
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of converg ...
, containing the ''Clitopilus
''Clitopilus'' is a genus of fungi in the family Entolomataceae. The genus has a widespread distribution, especially in northern temperate areas. Although a 2008 estimate suggested about 30 species in the genus, a more recent publication (2009) u ...
'' clade embedded within it. Since the name ''Clitopilus'' takes precedence (although '' Rhodocybe'' was bigger), the two genera have to be merged and the current name of this mushroom is ''Clitopilus geminus''.[ This is also the current name given by ]Species Fungorum
''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and the Institute of Mi ...
.
References
One hundred and seventeen clades of euagarics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1345714
Edible fungi
Entolomataceae
Fungi described in 1793
Fungi of Europe