upsinker Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 I went for a little hike today and found a pretty decent number of what I believe are Psathyrella delineata (please correct me if I'm wrong). They were the only thing I found in an edible state - everything else was old and bug infested or rotting... so without knowing what they were I collected about a dozen that were still near buttons with light colored gills on the off chance that they turned out edible. I also collected a few more mature specimens to help with the ID. Seems like a dead ringer for p. delineata or rugocephala (apparently they can't be differentiated without a microscope). Here are the specs: Growing on moist rotting wood near the ground or buried/decomposing deciduous wood Caps deep burgundy when closed turning deep orange to pale orange as the open, somewhat bell shaped eventually flatting out, slight umbo and deeply wrinkled at all stages Gills start out pale grey but turn dark brown/blackish with age Stem fragile, fiberos and hollow Still waiting for the spore print So here's the real questions - can you eat them? One of my books (Audubon) lists it as edible, the rest say unknown. I found at least two references on the web stating that it's edible. Have any of you ever tried this mushroom? The pic on the bottom is just a cool looking waxy cap I found. Don't know what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyflyfsh Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Do they smell like something you would want to eat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 I've never tried eating either of these Psathyrellas, or any Psath. Kuo does not address edibility. Phillips says it's best avoided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Boy Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 Do they smell like something you would want to eat? I've heard destroying angels smell like something you would want to eat ... and taste pretty good too -- according to a few survivors !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsinker Posted June 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 I've heard destroying angels smell like something you would want to eat ... and taste pretty good too -- according to a few survivors !!!!! Well I think I'll just take their word for it thanks!!! As for the psathyrellas - they don't have much of a smell or taste at all. I never ended up making a meal of them (just nibbled one & spat it out to see). I guess they say there are no old bold mushroom hunters so I opted for old rather than bold but if I was to judge by smell I would say they smell tasty enough (too bad you can't tell if they smell safe!) plus they have a nice texture - but what does it matter anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 I've wondered about these, as well. If I run into some prime buttons, I'll give them a try. My guess is that they will be okay to eat, but not good enough to pursue. Of the 200+ species of mushroom that I've eaten (often in small samples only), most fall into this category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvert Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 So here's the real questions - can you eat them? One of my books (Audubon) lists it as edible, the rest say unknown. I found at least two references on the web stating that it's edible. Have any of you ever tried this mushroom? I generally have a rule of thumb, which is to not eat mushrooms the first time I find a new species, wait until the second or third time. If the mushroom is common enough, and good enough to warrant eating, and easy enough to indentify, you'll have no troubles finding it again next season. In general, the Psathyrella's are a large genus, with all the species being nearly identical, which is why you don't see them too much in guide book...they are too hard to identify positively. However, there are a couple of species that are distintive, P. delineata (or rugocephala) being one of them, and from your description and photos, I would agree that this is what you have found. By the way, I've very seldom broken my rule of thumb, and I have a bunch of mushrooms that I have found ONE time, and didn't eat (even though I was sure of my identification!) Macrolepiota prominens, I will find you again one day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_T Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Calvert, how do you differentiate Psathyrella delineata and rugocephala macroscopically? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 T, I believe that the distinction you seek may only be accomplished microscopically. One of delineata/rugocephala has warted spores, and the other one does not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvert Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Calvert, how do you differentiate Psathyrella delineata and rugocephala macroscopically? Dave is correct, the major distinction is microscopic. Apart from the warts, there is also a marked difference in spore size. The slight macroscopic differences may be: P. rugocephala -watery to tan brown cap (when young), obscurely mottled gills, and stem which can be little brownish below. P. delineata - Rusty to dark bay brown cap (when young) which is slightly less "Rugulose" than the previous! BTW, A. Smiths book "How to know the Gilled Mushrooms" actually has a nice selection of Psathyrella species, with a key and descriptions for around 40 odd species. This is what I use whenever I feel compelled to (hopeless attempt to) identify this genus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_T Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 thanks im aware of the difference in spore characteristics, i just thought you had a reliable way or separating the two macroscopically. that is a good book, U of Michigan hosts Smith's monograph on Psathyrella if you want more detail. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/AJN6254.0001.001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvert Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 thanks im aware of the difference in spore characteristics, i just thought you had a reliable way or separating the two macroscopically. that is a good book, U of Michigan hosts Smith's monograph on Psathyrella if you want more detail. http://name.umdl.umich.edu/AJN6254.0001.001 I've never had much success working with those big monograph's, although I did spend a whole lot of time studying Mycena's a couple of years back (after downloading the monograph page by page, and then printing the whole thing!). Oh my, their gills are so small! In recent years, I've mostly moved away from microscopic examination, for lack of time, except for the odd Inocybe or Russula, which have really beautiful spores (myxomycetes too!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Rasmusen Posted June 17, 2018 Report Share Posted June 17, 2018 In the mulch in my yard, we get p. candolleana some years, and I've eaten them several times without indigestion. They have a strong, distinctive taste when shrivelled up dry and I like munching on single dry ones. I think their small size is why they're not much eaten, and that they crumble so much in the picking, so they don't have as much visual appeal as whole mushrooms. The strong umami taste(when dried) isn't for everyone, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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