Identification: Mushroom Identification

Discussion in 'Fungi, Lichens and Slime Molds' started by Sundrop, Nov 27, 2010.

  1. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    I took the pictures of these mushrooms growing in the grass among Kinnikinnick, close to Pine trees, at the beginning of October on my property in the S-W Kootenays, BC.
    I think it is a species of Russula, but would like to know which.
     

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  2. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Nice looking mushrooms!

    Your photo showing the stem texture makes me think it is not a Russula, as Russula's have a brittle structure.

    I'm thinking perhaps a Tricholoma, partially because of seeing the gill attachment to the stem, because it looks like it might be white-spored, and something about the cap colour and overall stature.

    Do you recall any odour?

    cheers,
    frog
     
  3. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Frog. Unfortunately I didn't smell or taste them. Didn't do a spore test either. Will do all that if I will find the mushrooms growing again next year. It always amazes me to see completely different kinds of mushrooms growing in the same spots from year to year.
    As far as I know only those Russulas that have a bitter taste when eaten raw are toxic. How about Tricholomas?
     
  4. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I agree - it can make an area just endlessly fascinating! I have a handkerchief-sized park near my home that erupts in a wacky range of species each year - always fun to go check it out every season.

    Well, my short answer is I don't know :-). I do support cooking all mushrooms before eating...but I don't think you were talking about that.

    Are all bitter (including peppery?) Russulas toxic/inedible; are all mild-tasting Russulas edible? I feel doubtful about most wide genera generalizations, partly because I've not yet found an agaricologist willing to support them, and partly because identifying Russulas to species is often difficult.

    I know some peppery Russulas and Lactarii, with or without species ID, are eaten after pickling and other cooking transformations, particularly outside N.America, but I've never tried it personally. I've tasted some in the field that taste like licking newspaper, so I feel sure those would not be edible, though not necessarily toxic.

    I've not yet experimented, though that is an interesting idea, with cooking a bitter or peppery specimen to see if the flavour mellows out after cooking.

    Similarly, I've eaten Tricholomas that I can positively identify to species, that I know to have a solid record for edibility. I don't eat Tricholomas that smell and taste good but whose identity I can't place. Some Tricholomas smell terrible, so I've not even tried to taste them.

    I don't want to disrespect folk knowledge: I've eaten things cooked by folks whom I trust in their solid lore, even if they can't formally name the mushroom. However, I feel safer and happier when I can prove the critter's identity and specs myself.

    cheers,
    -frog
     
  5. MycoRob

    MycoRob Active Member

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    "As far as I know only those Russulas that have a bitter taste when eaten raw are toxic. How about Tricholomas?"

    This statement is 100% incorrect. I can think of over a dozen Russula species that are poisonous that do not taste bitter. Not only are not all bitter mushrooms poisonous, but not all poisonous mushrooms are bitter. In fact, I bet that less than half of poisonous mushrooms are bitter.

    Some Tricholomas are suspected to be deadly poisonous - and I've eaten one, they are delicious.
     

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