''Cantharellus subalbidus'', the white chanterelle, is a

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 fr ...

native to

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Thou ...

region of

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

. It is a member of the genus ''

Cantharellus ''Cantharellus'' is a genus of popular edible mushrooms, commonly known as chanterelles, a name which can also refer to the type species, '' Cantharellus cibarius''. They are mycorrhizal fungi, meaning they form symbiotic associations with plant ...

'' along with other popular edible

chanterelle Chanterelle is the common name of several species of fungi in the genera '' Cantharellus'', '' Craterellus'', '' Gomphus'', and ''Polyozellus''. They are among the most popular of wild edible mushrooms. They are orange, yellow or white, meaty a ...

s. It is similar in appearance to other chanterelles except for its cream to white color and orange bruising. ''Cantharellus subalbidus'' may form a mycorrhizal association with species of

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...

, hemlock,

Douglas-fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

, and

Pacific madrone ''Arbutus menziesii'' or Pacific madrone (commonly madrone or madrona in the United States and arbutus in Canada), is a species of broadleaf evergreen tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the western coastal areas of North America, from Br ...

. ''C. subalbidus'' has been found to be more common in

old-growth forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological feature ...

s than in younger forests.

Description

The mushroom is white to cream in color, later darkening to yellow-orange. 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 wide, flat to depressed, becoming infundibuliform (vaselike) with age. The stalk is 2–7 cm tall and 1–5 cm wide, tapered, with yellow-brown spots due to bruising and age. The spores are white, elliptical, and smooth.

Similar species

Several other species of chanterelle may be found in western North America: *'' C. californicus'' *'' C. cascadensis'' *'' C. cibarius'' var. ''roseocanus'' *'' C. formosus'' Additionally, ''

Leucopaxillus albissimus ''Leucopaxillus albissimus'' is a species of mushroom that lives as a saprobe, decaying the litter under coniferous trees. It produces a large white fruiting body that is unusually resistant to decay. It is considered to be inedible. Descriptio ...

'', ''

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca ''Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca'', commonly known as the false chanterelle, is a species of fungus in the family Hygrophoropsidaceae. It is found across several continents, growing in woodland and heathland, and sometimes on woodchips used in gar ...

'', '' Chroogomphus tomentosus'', and species in the genera ''

Craterellus ''Craterellus'' is a genus of generally edible fungi similar to the closely related chanterelles, with some new species recently moved from the latter to the former. Both groups lack true gills on the underside of their caps, though they often ...

'', '' Gomphus'', '' Omphalotus'', and ''

Polyozellus ''Polyozellus'' is a fungal genus in the family Thelephoraceae, a grouping of mushrooms known collectively as the leathery earthfans. Previously considered a monotypic genus, it now contains the ''Polyozellus multiplex'' species complex. Th ...

'' may have a somewhat similar appearance to ''C. subalbidus''.

Uses

A choice edible, they can be prepared by being sautéed or cutting into chunks and baking at 350° Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

References

External links

* * subalbidus Fungi of Canada Fungi of the United States Edible fungi Pacific Northwest cuisine Fungi described in 1947 Fungi without expected TNC conservation status Fungi of California {{Agaricomycetes-stub