-- - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - -The Pocket Guide to Mushrooms CCOj))'rtghtLO$ANGE- 63400 Chamall!}rt!'I - france M,maglngEditor:Chaumeton Pro)l'CtCoordinauon: Mu"eIBresson Oe5ignar.d Layout:NathalieLao:haud,Laurent.IsabelleVeret Typesetting, $t!}phaJlleHenf)',VerOOlQueJa,.,."er,ChantalMlaion Theauthorand the editorlillteam WO\.IklIIKeto acknowledge thekIndil5S1Stanceof Ren!}-JiKquesBouteville of lhe Avvergne NaturalSOCIety,who ISalsoa member of theSoci Myshelp and Shercanbehekl responsrbleloranydamageswhal50everthatmayarISeflOmtheuseofthecontents ollhls ""'" The Pocket Guide to Mushrooms Jean-Marie Polese KONEMANN PREFACE Thisisa fieldguidetowildmushrooms,alsoknownasfungi.Itdoesnot includeallof thespecies,ofcourse,becausethereare severalthousand of themacrofungi,those whichcanbeseenwiththenakedeye,but you willfindthemostfrequently foundspeciesinthisbook. Themushroomsfeaturedherearegenerally foundthroughoutthe temperatezoneof thenonhernhemisphere,thoughtheremaybeslight variations fromonecontinentto another. A fewspecieshavea more restrictedhabitatbutarequitecommoninthoseareasinwhichtheygrow. A certainnumberof specieswhichareespeciallyfrequentor whichare ofparticularinterestduetotheiredibility ortoxicityaredealtwithin greater detailandaremoreextensivelyillustrated. Thisbook willbeofinterestto theamateurmycologistaswellasto thenovicemushroom-pickerwho wantstobeabletoidentify fungi precisely andaccurately,andeventothemoreexperiencedpickerwho wouldliketoextendhisorherknowledgeto otherspecies,whetherthey are edibleornol.Inorder togivethereadersomeideaof how mushrooms are classified,wehaveusedthemethodadoptedbyFrenchmycologists whoaretheEuropeanauthorities. Shape,color,odor,taste,andhabitat areallpropertiesthat areunique toeachspecies.It israretobeabletorecognizea speciesonthebasisof oneof thesefaaorsalone.Itisusually a combinationof several characteristics that enableidentificationof a specimenwithcertainty. Allthismakesmycology,thestudy of fungi,a discipline which increasespowersof observationandexercisesthecriticalfaculties.Italso arousesa senseof wonderandincreasesfeelingsofhumility whenfaced withtheextraordinarydiversityof natureandtheamazingcreative genius of whichthekingdomof thefungiisproof. Wehopethatthisbook wi ll lift the veilfromcertainaspectsofthestrangeandfascinatingworldof wild mushrooms. CONTENTS Introduction 8 Anatomyof a fungus10 Whatis a fungus?12 Ecology16 MushroomsandMan19 Pickingandeating21 Keytoidentification26 TheAscomycetes32 ThePhragmobasidiomycetes58 TheA[lhyl lo[lhorales64 The Tricholomatales106 The Aqaricales178 TheEntolomatales230 TheCort inariales240 The Russulales284 TheBoletales316 TheGasteromycetes352 NonCE TOREADERS TheWusmtions anddescriptions of spe:cicsinthisbookhave Menp r o d u ~ e d with the greatestClIte. If you an in the slightestdoubt, however, as 10the edibilily of ~mushroom, donot eat it, andconsult an identi6eationtxpert. Glossary Index H: height L:length 0: diameter 366 369 ANATOMY OF AMUSHROOM n IHOAm .M--- -t M ETHOD OFATTACHMENT OFGILLS TOTHESTI PE , OFCAP CA' TEXTUREANDSHAPEOFSTIPE ConvexUmbooate III DownyReticulate Funnel-shaped

uSlI"II.IOUSO,l!).wpedBulbousThin M ARGINOFCAP 0 r::efal -SmoothEnrolled B ULB 9 UndulatingOf5inuous Fluted SUialedV OLVA Sac-likeSheath-likeRidgedbulb WHAT ISAFUNGUS? FungiwereollCeclassifiedasplants.but todaytheyare 10 be ina classof theirown,neithervegetablenoranimal, inhabitantsofthefungalkingdom.Unlike plants,theydonothavesiems,leaves,or rool$.Fungi containno chlorophyll, the sub stancethatenablesplantstomanufacture theirownfood,wtheyarefOlcedtofind foodfromtheirenvironment,inthesame way asanimals Themushroomthatisvisibleisactually jusl thelargestpartofanorganismmostof which lies in the soil.embedded in leaf litter, humus, deexte1iof and margin are coveredWIththick, dense reddishOfbrownhairs lNhich are dafter al theedge. Thef ~is pale and pef!>lSlem. HABITAT: grows onthe ground. on (Ouing wood incool.shadyurodefgrowth.From !>Ummelthrough early fall.Quill' common. SCUTELLINIASCUTELLATA ShieldshapedEl f Cup DESCRIPTION: 0:0.2-'1.in (0.41em). A fairlyregularlyshapedshallowcupwilli OtJtaSfipe.Theinsideisbrightreddim-OIal'!)eandtheoutsidebeigeandvelvety Themarginiscoveredinblackish-brown !lairs',,."J..in(1102 mm)long.Thecupis foldedinward al first,thenflattensout wilh age.Thefleshisreddish,withflOparticular odor orlaste. HABITAT: in dense clumpsonwood,some timesonSOilriChinhumus;inveryhumid places.oheflbesidewaler.fromspI"ing Ilirough fal l.Common. THEASCOMYCETES TARZETTACAT/NUS,PUSTULAR/ACAT/NUS CrucibleElf Cup DESCRIPTION: 0:'1._2in(2-5em). Another elf cup thatlooks like anacorn cup, thoughinthisonetheedgeiscurlPdover untilmaturity.andwhenitopensitexhibits tinyroundedindentationsonthemargin. SPECIALFEATURES This is rhelargest fungusinthegenus Tar:tlliI.Another common species,the Cup-shapedPeziza (far-dla (ll,,,,/aris) i5 lessthan ',. in(2em)indiameter. Theinteriorsurfaceis smoothandochla-(faUS. Theoutersurface ispaler.sometimes almostwhite,andcoveredwitha veryfine down. Short, thinstipe. usuallyburiedinthe substrate.Fleshthinandbrittle. HABITAT: 00baregroundindeciduousor coniferouswoodsandingardens.Usually grows in groups. thespecimens may be sep-aratedortightlypackedtogether.Frui ts in summer.Fairly com moo. DESCRIPTION:H:2'lr 41_ill(6-12em), 0:4-7in(1018 em). Globular alfirstandhalf-buried.IheCrown ElfCupIhenopensalIhelOpwi lh a wide crownshapedaperture,wilhsaw-loothed SARCOSCYPHACOCCINEA ScarletEl r Cup DESCRIPTION: 0:'/.2 ill (25 em). Thiscup withliSirregularmarginis in placK.ThemnersurfaceISbl"ightred.The outersurfaceispalei'andcoveredwitha fif"lewhile down. Stipe/r'/. in(\2 cm)long, andthesamecolorastheouterwrface. Thin,leathery.flesh;noparticular tasle orodor, HABITAT: growsinlargecolooies 00dead braMhes andtwigs.sometimeshalfhidden rnmoss.oftenInhedgerows,on bramble or SARCOSPHAERACRASSA Crown Elf Cup edges..Theinteriorispinkishviolet,soon turningbrown.Outersurfacewhitish. Whrtishflesh/.in(0.5 cm)thickandbrittle; noparticular odor or flavor. HABITAT: underbeech orpinetrees, espepped branches orbesidesllCh heaps,as~ I Iasnear old, rotten stumps.II normally appearsInfallandearly win-ter.butitis notuncomlTl()(lto findil growinginmidwinter. The winter!>pe(imensusually remain small. ThefUl1j>!Iy _ . TOO. paleyellem IIeVi aoo oOOr\ffi, mildflavor. SPfCIAL HATl ' RIS obnr!StJli ismother solMn-ye:Uow hygrophoNS, bul the "Pconicaland the stipeisnOI,;,ad, HYGROCYBE COCCINEA ScarlelWax-cap DESCRIPTION: H: 1"._3',. In(4-8 em), I:'1.-2In(25 (m). CQf1vex cap.blood-re(jat first,theflturningpmkasit ages. Widely-spaced gills.red dish orangementurningyel -lower,alw.lys yellowalthe edges, Stemhollow,slightly often Witha longi-tudinalfurrow, or. HABITAT: grows on drytwigs.thatch,poor STROBIWRUS ESCULENTUS Edibl e Tough-shank DESCRIPTION: H: ",-2 in (25 em), 0: '/. 1/.in(0.53em). Capconvexthenf1anening.ocherorreddish-brown viscid,sometimes slighllycreased. Gills while,turninggray,fairlycrowded. Stipethin, CQfiaceous.andsmooth,oftenundulating, orange orbrown,paler towardthetop.with white filamentsalthe base.Fleshwhile,thin, ratherCoriiKOOIJS.Faint000f,fungalnavor. FDiBILlTY Dupitt itsnlmt, thil Tough.shanlcis notpartkuJarly talty, and itif tJltrt mtly smaU. ItsinltrestIitSinthebct thatit appeanata timeof yur whtn olhtr mushrooms irc raf t . grasslandandgrassymoors,insummer through fall. Fairly common and widespread. HABITAT:ingroups.onspruceconesthat havefallenOfareburiedbeneathmoss, sometimesonfircones.From~ t ewimet throughearlyspring.Fairly common. DESCRIPTION:H: '/.-2'hin(2-6em). 0'1.- 1 in(1 -25 em). Capsmooth,reddishbrownordate-brown. BAEOSPORAMYOSURA Mouse-tail Tough.shank DESCRIPTION : H:'/. I'I,in(24an).0:'lr 1'/. in(I ]an). Cap then SOO'IeIimeswithsmall lITlbo;5nIIXlth.odler.brownor hazelnut,paleratthemargin.Gillsvery STROBILURUSTENACELLUS Tenacious Tough-shank with palerorreddercenter. Gills white,(on trastingwithdarker(olorofthecap.Stipe smooth, rooting,white or yellowatfirst,then taking onthecolorof the capfromthebase, passingthrough orange brown.Fleshwhite andverythin;faintodor andbinetflavor, HABI TAT: on Scots pine cones. whichmaybe buriedin thesoil.sometimesonother cones. Spring. Fairly common. aowded, white or beicJ.'. Stipe the (II:llI' cola as thecap.doMri.erdirgfla IoogrhCzornorjjl coveredfl....t1ite which digsdeepfl to the sOOstrale.FIehthinarxlbeige;fungaloeD; rrikl RaYor. HABrTAT: oncones, fallen on the orburied.orontheir detached scales,in forl!51S and parks. FromfalltlYOO'Jl early winter. Pr/:t)a/)/y conmonbutoftenurnoticed. SP)CIA)FFATURFS ManyspKifl grow on pineconn. Thest incll.ldcthe SIrO"i/u",s and some specits of Myccnaand Collybia. They canbeidcnti6ed mainly through their microscopic char.llclcristic:s. THETRICHOLOMATALES ....ill... '" MICROMPHALE PERFORANS PerforatingMarasmius DESCRIPTION:H:'... 1'I.in(1.s-lem), 0: '1.";10(0.5- 1.5em), CapconvextoAattened.beigetopinki91-brown,withafurrowedmarginandcenter l'JlO(eor lessdepressed.\0 pinkish brown. Stipe barely'1,,"in (1mm)in diameter, andblad:ish, except allhelop.where it paler. Thefleshhasa fetid odor. HABITAT: olte!1in dense colonies on spruce or fll' needles.SUmmer throughfall.Common. XEROMPHALINACAMPANELLA BellOmphalia DESCRIPTION:H: 'I.-2in(2-5em), r:n,.',.in (1-2em). Capumbilicalfromthestart,WithinClJrved margin, smooth,!>lIghtlystriatedup to the umbilicus, orange to reddish-brown. Gills bowedar.dverydelightsmellof radish,mildfIavoI. HABITAT: grO'Minsmall groupson grass POTFN II AI(ONllISION velges and decidu-ous 'NOOds.more rarely under cooilefS. Summerthrough early fall . .... Uncommon butfairly widesplead. MfANfTARUBESCENS.'/ The- 81uwrED1IIU"---"',-ll>All fANI TASPI SSA hlr.e P.nthtr Dp[oIBLf SI', (tAlFfATtJRFS A b ller v.rid)' (Vat. grows Wldu mountain coniffn, of whichthe ap, whichiscborittrin color an "ttain a diuMlu of 7 in (II em). ...ill.. m " AMANITA RUBESCENS The81usher DESCRIPTION:H;3/.7in(818an), 0: l'/.6In (8-15 an). Capdomed Ihefl convex.wnn a marginthaI isnot5111a1OO,beigethroughpalebrown, often shaded with dark l!d, COYeIedin small whrlJshpinkor pale gray detachableRakes. which are usuallyvefydenseInyoung~ . imens,more Wldely!opa(edand more or less concentJiCatlaterstages.Gillsbmadand crowded, wtHteand spoued WIthpink,turn-ingpinktotheloocn. Stipethick,becoming hollow,thickeningtowardthebaseintoa bulbwitha pomtedend; while andstriated or smooth a ~thering,plnl:ishwhile and Slightlydownyunderthering,clearly markedwith crimson on the bulb.Ringwide andpendant.wiatedandperSistent.Flesh wMe, ~reddening when cut and when damaged,reddish-brownundefthecutJdt; odoilessbut with mildflavor. SPECIAlFF!\TURES The Blushtr (A ...,,,,i/II I'HKsce"f) is ~vel)' v.... iablesperits, I)f which 5tVenl Vlrieti arerfcogniud. The """IIIoJlli,lifurlll v";ety hua pale sulfur-yellowring. Allvarietiesretain the w.me future of reddening or blushing of tht flnh whenCUI, tUmagcd, or fatena w ~ y byinlllal'\'ae. HABITAT: singly orin small groupsatthe edge of welllit dedduousor conif erousforests.in highlandandlow-lands, onacidor slightly calcareous soil.Summerthrough fall.Verycommonand widespread. THEAGARICALES ...lli.... '" Poisonous raw, edible wellcooked. The fibrousIImshould bt disaorded. AMANITA SPISSA Falser 3nthcr Cap DESCRIPTION: H: 3", -7in(8 18 em). 0:2",_4'1/in (7 12em), Thecap isglQbulose.thenhemispherical andfinallynat,spfinkled with pale gray plaquesagainst a blownor olivebrown Thestipeisthick,fi rmandfull, striatedabovethe ring.andmarkedwith grayish zigzagbands below it;Ihering lullandstriated;thebulbisnOtvery marked. fleshwhite,thickalthe center;it has a faint odor of radishanda mildnavOf. HABITAT: coniferous dallypine)ordeciduous (espe-cially oak).011acid soil. Summer throughfall. Widespread buluncommon.moll! frequentlyfound at altitude. SPECIALFEATURES This mushroomI"C$CIIlblrsboththe Cap ;mdmeBlll5hubut il dOl'll nOI tum pink or crimsonwhend'lIn.td (I't ul and IICno clurly marlccd ridgn ovcr the bulb. EDlBIl.ITY Edible butnot wonh caling,and should M avoidrd anyway, dur to its clost rrstmblancetothePanthtr Cap. rOTFNTlALCONFlJSION AMANITAPANTHE. RlNA Panther capP01SONOUS AMANITARUBE.SCfNS TheBlusherEDlBI.E THEAGARICALES .ll!. '" AMANITA JUNQUILLEA,A.GEMMATA Jonquil Amanita DESCRIPTION: H:2'lr 4/J in(612em), 0: 2-4 In(5-10 em), Capdomedandsoonflattening,no!very neshy,Wllha fleshy,yel!ow-to-ocher capand sUiatedmargin,ohendecoratedwitha few whiteplaqlleS01Hakes.Gillswhite.Sttpe slightlythickened althebase,becoming hol-low wilh itC}I!.v.iUte andfloccose;ring while, median and thin, undevelopPd and vef'J fuga-ceous;thevotvadisappearsfairlyquidly, leavinga ridgeabovethebuh Fleshwhile,paleyellowooderthecutICle, odorles.5andwitha mild fIawr. HABITAT:coniferous01dKidU0U5forests, pine andbeech,011fairly acidsoil. SpfingIhlOU9hfall . Fairlycommoninsouth emparISof the northernhemisphere. rOXI( lTV Somt COIIIMItr itpoisonous, oWn tcL'bIt. 1M bet IhII ilIw JO 111m)' vwOons may IMM Wol;1is $imply .. Wititt)' of anothtt spia. ToM avoidtd. AMANITA PHAllOiDES Death Cap DESCRIPTI ON: H:3'lr 6'hin(91] em), 0:Hin(51ScmJ. Cap ovoidorglobulose. l'nlirely (overedina white membrane,then hemispheti!;al, aod finallylIattened; color fairly variable,rypically yel!owish-grffil.bulalso bfownish'yellow,olive brown,gfet'f1ishbI'own, and entirely pure while Inthealb.) varlely, with fine,darker,radialfibril andsometimes the remains of thewhi le veil.ThewrfaceisSilky when dry,!>lightly vis-(OtISinwet Wl'ather. Gillscrowded and broad, while.tulning creamwith age.511pe elongated.firm,~ o m H19moreor lesshollow, slightlythickened toward tilebase, (O\'etedinhof-Izontal,gray-green zigzagbands on a while background.NOfmally veryamplebut capable ofdisappearingand appealSto be s!naled THEAGARICALES onthe upper surface,whilf' OfSlightlygreenish; valvaoitf'n large, KIlledaM whi te,sur rounding a largebulb. Fleshwhile,yellow undl'1the {utlde;faint odD(whichisunpleasantin olderspenil/II/liS). It rewmblrlthr bur r inthrIIrong smtUof llour. THEENTOLOMATALES .Jl!.. m ENTOLOMACETRATUM Ocelot Entoloma DESCRIPTIONH:2-3/. in(5-8em), Il '/.1 'Iiin(2-4an). CapctncaI thenRanened. Wldla striated m.;r-girl. a refople (onlidtr iledible when young,bulof nogrt.1interest,.nd when oldtr itiltOOfibrous.InNorth Amerita, some tases ofpoisoning h.ve beenreported, buttheymayhavebtcn duetosimilarl!>fcitsfoundthen. It is tht only bolttt in E u r ~withthis strlngc shaggy apptlfllnct. Lr.f! Kllks allJ gral,!t.d' 1111101 TYLOPfLUSFELLEUS Bitter BoJele DESCRIPTION: H: 4-7;4 inon), 0:Hin(SolScm). CaphemiSphefiCal thenconvexOfflat tened,thick,)"liow-brown, palebrown, or ochraceoos-olive, velwtytexture, often aacknJ II '*YPcweslather WIde and angular,whiush tllenpale pink with age,turning browntothetouch. Stipebulbous,Ihen elongated andswoIlefl althe base,aeamthroughocher,deco-rated wllha networkoflafge,prominent redfilaments..fle'shsoft inthe cap and fibrous intheStipe,white,possibly turning slightredwhen10the air.PItas-antodOIbullJSUaltyverybilleflIiIVOf. ron NTiAlCONfllSION ..BOLETUS fDULIS CtpElIf ..BOLfTUS AESTIVAUS Summufnllll f .. BOLETUS BADIUS s,y Bolete THEBOLETALES ..l!.L ". HABITAT; undefdeciduous01coniferous trees.pine and spruce onacidic.well-drail'led soil. Summer throughfall. Fairly commoninplaces. F()IBILITY [nedible, The bitternns, whichitintherawmll5hroombttomu milch grtaler during cookiDg, ..rodering thi$ incdibk. OneBiner Boltlr mlonll a colltttion of Ups of !Ny Boleln, whichilis nsily with will nail!a whole dishandrnU;eil inedible. BOLETINUSCA VIPES Holl ow-stemmedBolclc DESCRIPTION: H:2-4in (5-10 em),0: 10(512em), Cap conicaland conve)(.then flattenedand umbonate, or on the othel'hand,may be depressed inthe (!fllef, yellow-cwangeto red- M:lfillose orslightlyscaly and velvety,WItha paler marginfl'tainil"lg shreds ofthe origInalveil.Tubescurved. decurrent to 1Mring,pale yellowthen olive.Poresverywide in (J.4 mm). smaller attheedge,radiallyelongated, yel-lowthenoIiYi'!green,stipet.oIlow (espe-dallyinthelowerpart),yellowabove the ring.the $arnethecapbelow il, witha while,scalyring Fleshsolt andthick, yeIlOWl5h-whiteand nOtchanging (olor, NoUlarmQOf'5111