are these lepiota types?

[shroomersue]

We found these prolifically growing under pine and fairy ringing around a very mature cedar tree in southwestern Ontario. The pics show young specimen and older ones with darkened brown gills. Size of mature caps 4.5 to 5 inches across and veil ring attached to stipe. Lepiota? Entoloma?

[vitog]

These are almost certainly some kind of Agaricus, and they look like A. placomyces; but someone from eastern NA should provide more definitive input. Since there are good and bad Agarici(?), this is one genus that needs a good ID before deciding whether a specimen is edible or not.

[jmw]

I would guess that these are no Lepiota of any kind as I know of no Lepiota with a pink phase in gill color. Most Lepiota I know have white gills that can turn a brown color with age, but again are white for the most part. So the pink gills in the younger specimen would rule out any Lepiota that I have ever seen. To see a Lepiota with gills that turn from white to brown reference Chlorophyllum molybdites which is a common lawn mushroom (at least where I live).

I know you mentioned the trees you found these mushrooms around, but I am curious if you found them in the woods around the mentioned trees, a meadow, a grassy area, or what kind of habitat?

I would be somewhat inclined with vitog to say that Agaricus placomyces would be a good starting point to look at. Hpwever, it also important to know where this mushroom was growing, what it smells like, and if there is any yellow staining when bruised or broken on the cap and stem. I think I see some staining on the stem in one photo, but it is hard to be certain.

If it turns out to be Placomyces those from my understanding are sickeners.

[theplanets]

I'm throwing my vote in for Agaricus. Was this on a field by the tree line?

[ladyflyfsh]

1. First I'd like to say Chlorophyllum molybdites does not have gills that turn brown, they turn green and produce a green spore print. They are also poisonous but not necessarily deadly, just sickeners.

2. I too would call this Agaricus of some sort. My question would be did it stain any color when bruised or cut? What did it smell like? I think I see some yellowish tinges on a few of them. I agree I would take a good look at A. placomyces as well.

[Dave W]

Almost certainly a type of Agaricus. Like vitog said, some of the Agaricus species are toxic, and this collection may represent one of these toxic types. The black center on the cap surface which breaks into small scales toward the cap margin is a trait I have observed on malodorous types that are reported to be sickeners. Not everyone detects the medicinal/inky odor of these types of Agaricus, and sometimes it can be faint.

Two possibilities for slender/scaly eastern NA Agaricus species are A. placomyces and A. policator. These types occur in gardens, wood borders, and on the ground in mixed woods.

[jmw]

I did not mean to mislead anybody with the Chlorophyllum molybdites reference. I mentioned that as an example of how gills show a different color change in Lepiotas than in Agaricus type mushrooms. Consequently the Chlorophyllum molybdites we find where I live never seem to have a green gill phase, although I do know that field guides always mention green gills. They go from white to a greyish color to a brownish grey color. They seem to skip green although the spore print is always green.

Oddly I posted this once to day and started a new thread and somehow the forum shows neither of those. Wonder what happened?

[theplanets]

Sue, I found the exact same ones today in SW Ontario. See pics. Guys on the Facebook page ID it as Agaricus praeclaresquamosus. All descriptions fit, including the bent stipe. I found my collection under a mature white pine stand.

[Dave W]

Agaricus praeclaresquamosus is a name I had not previously encountered. Learn something new every day in this pursuit of mushroom knowledge! I wonder if the way the cap surface is seen to break apart into radially arranged flattened scales is a character associated with A. praeclaresquamosus? This gives the mushroom caps a streaked appearance that I have not before seen in genus Agaricus.

[shroomersue]

Thanks for the great I.D guys. Yes they love the conifers. Pine and cedar!

[theplanets]

Ok fellow Ontarian in the group suggests the ones I posted are Agaricus xanthodermus. Can't be sure because I didn't try to bruise it.

Theses ones I found in the vicinity, however are the same as Sue's finds. Note the dark spot at the top of cap. Smaller cap diameter at about 8-10 cm. above one was about 15-20cm.

[ladyflyfsh]

Rick Kerrigan is coming out with a BIG book on Agaricus very soon. He is using a photo I took of my rare Agaricus endoxanthus (formerly rotalis) in the book. I can't wait as it is long overdue to have a comprehensive Agaricus book. Just a reminder of what the A. endoxanthus looked like....looks like those paintings you usued to make at the fair with a spinning wheel and dropping paint onto the paper while it spins.

[Dave W]

The scaly-capped Agaricus species include severaly types which feature the blackish disc. This is a tricky group from which to get a species ID. My own approach is that I collect these types for observation/study, but never for eating.

Mary, is that A. endoxanthus in the photo? Cool mushroom; nice photo! Where did you find those?