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Chlorophyllum rhacode / Shaggy Parasol


BastedBrew

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Hello.  Pretty sure I've got a little flush of Chlorophyllum rhacode along the trail where I take the dog.  Safe picking grounds, no pollution or major roads nearby.  Among leaf litter in between boxelder and oak trees.  Some chokecherries also nearby.  Northern Illinois, picked today.

White gills, overall dry and very lightweight but still very fresh and caps are mostly unfurled.  I left a couple to finish dropping spores and left a couple more to keep growing.  Brown stems which turn pinkish orange when cut.  All have rings on the stem.  Base of the stem pulls up easily and leaves behind white dusting on the ground where it was growing.

If these are 'shaggy parasols' I have never tried to eat them but have picked and prepared 'shaggy mane' mushrooms from the same woods many times.  I am reading that there is a toxic species with green spores and am currently making a spore print.  Reading warnings about gastrointestinal upset, etc.  Worth it? These look to be in prime condition for the species. 

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The toxic green-spored species is Chlorophyllum molybdites. This type usually grows on lawns, and has scales on the cap that are lighter brown than C. rhacodes. 

The ones seen here look like C. rhacodes... cap with white ground color and contrasting dark scales. Usually, the staining on the cut flesh of rhacodes is more prominent than what I see here. (Was this mushroom sliced well in advance to taking the photos?) In my experience the stain --reddish/orangish-- is strongest in the stalk base. 

Certainly, taking a spore print is advised, especially if you find them in an area where C. molybdites is known to occur. 

There are at least two other species of Shaggy Parasol, C. brunneum and C. oliveirii, which are not easily distinguished from C. rhacodes. Although all the robust white-spored parasols are considered edible, some people have reported very unpleasant adverse reaction to eating these types. Caution is advised.

There are some species of Lepiota that look like tiny Parasol Mushrooms that are dangerously toxic. These are all small mushrooms. 

Shaggy Parasols and Shaggy Manes (Coprinus comatus) are not related to one another. 

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the photo of the split stem was taken almost immediately. it is much more pronounced now. 

Spore print is still underway, will report back as soon as i get a clear print.  If i get a white print I may try a -small- cap section and "boil the out of it."

There are no lawns anywhere near where I hunt, and am not sure whether C. molybdites occurs here, so am definitely going to make sure with the print.

As always, thank you for your help and quick response!

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Regular paper can make it difficult to get good color from prints because the caps moisture soaks into the paper. Try index card or heavier gloss paper. I use black and white file folders so I can see the print against both colors.

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I agree with Matt about using non-porous medium to collect spore prints. The spore deposit seen in this discussion does not appear to be white, but it is possible this is due to absorbed moisture.

Other than C. molybdites, species of Chlorophyllum have white spore prints. So st this point, we need to consider the possibility these are C. molybdites. 

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After a couple different tries on a couple mediums, ended up with a faint but visible white spore print on heavy brown paper, and sections of my black file folder which weren’t wet. So I’ve ruled out C. molybdites, but since it’s been 2 days now the caps are drying and the stems are brittle so I’ll chalk it up to a very important learning experience and a “maybe next year.”

They were collected the morning after a rain so i’d imagine it made the spore print a lot more difficult. As always thank you guys for your expertise!

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