Russula is my favorite mushroom genus. This may be surprising to mushroom hunters because Russula mushrooms are generally ignored when foraging. However, I like them because they are very easy to identify and are genetically distinct from most other gilled mushrooms. Fungi in the genus Russula produce umbrella-like gilled mushrooms with crumbly flesh that do not exude liquid when injured.
Early on in mycology, most gilled mushrooms were placed in the genus Agaricus. Mycologists soon realized that gilled mushrooms were incredibly diverse and split the genus into numerous genera. Today, the mushrooms that remain in Agaricus are umbrella-like gilled mushrooms that have a chocolate-brown spore print, free gills, a partial veil, and a pileus that easily separates from the stipe.
The lepiotoid mushrooms are a genetically diverse group but are often lumped together in field guides to simplify identification. Morphologically, lepiotoid mushrooms most closely resemble mushrooms from the genus Amanita (FFF#172). Lepiotoid mushrooms have free gills, a white spore print, and a partial veil, but are saprobic and lack a universal veil. Despite these shared characteristics, lepiotoid mushrooms have multiple origins. “Lepiotoid” means “like Lepiota.” Most lepiotoid mushrooms were at one time placed in the genus Lepiota, so that genus is used as a basis for this morphological group.
For the next several weeks, I will examine the major groups of gilled mushrooms. I chose to start this foraging for mushrooms should learn to identify this group. In general, amanitas are umbrella-shaped agarics (FFF#027) that usually display all the following features: a universal veil, a partial veil, free gills, and a white spore print. Well-known amanitas include A. muscaria (FFF#069 and #121) as well as the Destroying Angels (FFF#050).
Hapalopilus nidulans is small, drab, polypore that most people overlook. However, this humble mushroom is remarkable for two reasons: it is poisonous and it produces a lovely purple dye. It is an uncommon mushroom, which reduces the likelihood of someone eating it but also means people working with mushroom dyes never have enough of it. This mushroom appears on decomposing wood in North America and Europe.
Fungi appear in the news with surprising frequency. However, many of those stories do not provide any new information. Below is a summary of what we’ve learned about fungi from November 2016 Through February 2017. Read below to learn about: two-fungi lichens, the fate of bananas, battery recycyling, Crohn’s disease, orcas, human pathogenic fungi, and more! Visit the associated links to get the full story.
From above, Lenzites betulina looks a lot like the Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor, FFF#065). When you flip the mushroom over, however, it looks completely different. L. betulina has a distinctly gilled spore surface, which easily separates it from nearly every other polypore. A few others do have gills, but L. betulina is the only one with pale gills and pale flesh. This mushroom is usually referred to by its scientific name, but it is sometimes called “the Multicolored Gill Polypore” or “the Birch Mazegill.”
Clitocybe odora is easily recognized by its pale blue-green color and its distinctive anise-like odor. The mushroom is edible, but not very many people go looking for it. C. odora is sometimes called the “Aniseed Funnel” or “Blue-Green Clitocybe,” but most people refer to it by its scientific name.
Fistulina hepatica is a very unusual polypore that is easy to recognize: it looks (and somewhat feels) like a large tongue growing from the side of a tree. This edible mushroom is distinctive because of its bizarre pore surface. When young, the pores are little more than multicolored bumps. As the mushroom matures, the pores develop into individual tubes, like a collection of straws. Its unique, meat-like color and texture earned F. hepatica the common names “Beefsteak Fungus” and “Ox Tongue Fungus.”
Often called the “Slippery Jack,” Suillus luteus is a fall bolete notable for its extremely slimy cap. Although you might think this texture is unsuitable for the table, the Slippery Jack is actually eaten fairly regularly. People who do eat this mushroom must make sure to peel off the upper surface of the cap. This is done for two reasons: the slimy layer does not have a very good texture and contains toxins that may cause some gastrointestinal distress.
![#011: Characteristics of Kingdom Fungi [Archived]](https://www.fungusfactfriday.com/wp-content/themes/hueman/assets/front/img/thumb-small-empty.png)
![By walt sturgeon (Mycowalt) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons](https://www.fungusfactfriday.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Suillus-luteus-group-720x340.jpg)
