[Random_archaeologist]

'allo,

Any chance anyone can help me identify a mushroom I found earlier? I've bought a book and tried to do it that way, but I've had little luck.


Picture at www.sylvanus.net/mushroom.jpg


Thanks!

[c]

From the pics it shows some of the characteristics of the Lepiota genus.
I cant be sure from just a picture in this case, if you could take a spore print and list the habitat perhaps that would help a bit.
Which book do you have?

[Random_archaeologist]

Hi C - thanks for replying,

After reading a number of reviews, I decided to buy 'Mushrooms and other fungi of great britain and europe', by roger Phillips - several quite knowledgeable people said it was their favourite, and I thought, 'good enough for me'. What they didn't mention is that it's pitched somewhat above the level of a complete novice... I'm going to get an idiot's guide to help me read it, next time I get to the shops (any recommendations gratefully recieved).

The mushroom has opened up a bit now (www.sylvanus.net/mushroom2.jpg), and I now think it rather resembles a parasol; I didn't think it was before, because it seemed rather large to have not started opening. The ring around the stem where the cap was once attached is moveable, sliding up and down the stalk, which (apparently) could be another indicator of Parasol-ness.

No spore print as yet, but there's no hint of greening around the gills (apparently there's a green-spored imposter)... As for the habitat, I found it in a shaded patch at the bottom of a hill in my local wood.

[c]

There is a green spored parasol (genus Chlorophyllum) which is kind of a sub-genus branching off from Lepiotaceae. If the spore print is indeed green, then im pretty sure you have Chlorophyllum molybdites a poisonous mushroom which is the most common cause of mushroom poisonings in the United States.

For books, I have quite the collection. I actually started off with a Dk and simon and shusters book. I would go for Mushrooms Demystified. It is the best field guide for the price, IMO. It is designed for the beginner or expert (may seem a bit confusing at first).

[mark_h]

It could possibly be Macrolepiota Rhacodes- it certainly isn't M. Procera. I may have a look through B+K and see what others are there.

Mark
_________________
All fungi are edible, some only once!

[Random_archaeologist]

Thanks for taking the time to reply

C - Cheers for the recommendation - I shall look into getting that book. The one I have seems pretty thorough, but I do need something to initially point me in the right direction. My current knowledge of mushrooms is pitched somewhere around the level of 'uhhh... try Tesco, isle 2'.

Mark_h - I've picked a couple I'm pretty much sure are shaggy parasols (I ate one, and it's not killed me yet), and they do look slightly different - the flakes on the cap are vaguely reminiscent of a pine-cone. This one looks tatty, but the brown parts seem more like patches than flakes, which was why I wondered... However, I'm quite sure that there's a fair bit of variability within each species, so it would probably be stupid of me to expect them all to look exactly the same.

So long as it's definitely not anything vastly harmful, I'm quite happy to consume the thing in the interests of experimentation. I'd like to learn about edible fungi, and I guess a couple of bouts of illness are a part of the learning curve. I don't really mind if I make myself ill a couple of times, but I'm not too keen on making myself dead... I've had a good look at the ones in Phillips' 'avoid at all costs' category, and it doesn't look like those...

I'm rambling. Oh, well. Thanks again

[mark_h]

Hi there,
No probs about the reply. I sort of guessed you were in the UK from having the Phillips book. I have that book and I find that it is a good general purpose fungi book. The thing with it though is unless you know roughly the genus, then you have to look through most of the book. I have about a dozen fungi books ranging from specialised ones with microscopic detail to little pocket guides.

If you're interested in edible fungi, the 'The Easy edible mushroom guide' by David Pegler is a good choice.

As a general field guide, one of the best to get is Mushrooms & Toadstools of Britain and Europe by Courtecuisse and Duhem. This one is quite difficult to get hold of but I bought it from Lakeland books.. the link follows....

http://www.lakelandbooks.com/shop/Product_Display.asp?mscssid=GW0TAEXSR9K89LJ9HE5D2AGU1AW11W76&SiteLanguage=ENG&ProductId=0002200252&productname=Collins+Field+Guide+%2DMushrooms+%26+Toadstools+of+Britain+%26+Europe&ParentName=Home

Mycology is difficult to start off with, but if you keep at it, you'll start learning.

Good Luck, Mark
_________________
All fungi are edible, some only once!

[c]

I keep forgetting about the Macrolepiota genus.. I just call them all Lepoitas or parasols as do most books...

Careful about eating mushrooms that you are unsure about.. even a lot of the non-deadly ones can make you feel so sick that you would wish you were dead. One of my books discusses the various types of poisonings, listing the symptoms, duration of the poisoning, ect. It really makes me think twice before eating anything.

Even after I have identified an edible that I've never tried, I will start off with a small amout of about a teaspoon. In case I made an error in my identification or I am allergic, at least it wont be as severe as if I had eaten a bunch.

[Random_archaeologist]

mark_h - the pegler book is on order thanks for the info. I am indeed from the UK - Somerset, currently, and the whole place seems knee-deep in mushrooms. It seems a terrible shame to waste them... And quite aside from eating them, I've come across some fascinating mushroom facts since I started looking (like the one said to be some 2000 acres big and several thousand years of age - http://www.infoplease.com/spot/fungus1.html). Who'd have thunk it...?


c - that's good advice, and I didn't mean to sound blase about experimentation; Phillips lists symptoms including explosive and bloody diarrhoea, which I'm obviously none-too-keen to try out first-hand. My plan is to dry the things, then try a little bit; if there are no ill-effects, I'l try a bit more, until I gradually gain confidence. I suppose drying won't help the flavour greatly, but leaving fresh mushrooms for a few days between trying slices is likely to end up with me consuming a small puddle of black mush. They seem not to keep for long...


Speaking of which, does anyone have any good ideas for drying? I'm currently stitching the slices onto a thread, and hanging them near my heater, but it's still taking two days or more to get the job done...


Again, thanks for the help. I'm keen to get to know the whole subject - aside from the fact that wild mushrooms are really quite tasty, I find something vaguely satisfying about the idea of picking stuff from the wild and eating it. I think it's my inner-archaeologist making its presence felt...

[c]

I have also heard about the honey mushrooms being the largest organisms on earth, its interesting to think about and I have picked several species of Armillarias this year. I have some photos of my finds here somewhere, I'll find them if you are interested..

I can relate to the satisfaction of picking and eating wild mushrooms. I also really enjoy taking pictures of them - any kinds... poisonous, inedibles, edibles, or whatever i find. I am interested in them for way more than just eating.

[mark_h]

[whistle]

Re. Mushroom books for Random_archaeologist

There is a tabletop book created in the UK called 'THE ULTIMATE MUSHROOM BOOK' , written by Peter Jordan and Steven Wheeler first published by Lorenz Books in 1995. It is a good book, it has very good pictures and descriptions. But if you cannot find that mushroom in at least four books---and undeniably that mushroom---do not even think of eating it. The "Mushroom Book " is good and simple and has some very good recipes in the back. It even has a section on drying and reconstituting your wild mushrooms. Whistle