''Flammulina velutipes'' is a species of gilled mushroom in the

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

Physalacriaceae. In the UK, it has been given the recommended English name of velvet shank. The species occurs in Europe and North America. Until recently ''Flammulina velutipes'' was considered to be conspecific with the Asian'' Flammulina filiformis'', cultivated for food as "enokitake" or "golden needle mushroom", but DNA sequencing has shown that the two are distinct.

Taxonomy

The species was originally described from England by botanist

William Curtis William Curtis (11 January 1746 – 7 July 1799) was an English botanist and entomologist, who was born at Alton, Hampshire, site of the Curtis Museum. Curtis began as an apothecary, before turning his attention to botany and other natural ...

in 1782 as ''Agaricus velutipes''. It was transferred to the genus '' Flammulina'' by Rolf Singer in 1951.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q84912346 Fungi of Europe Fungi described in 1782 velutipes Fungi of North America