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Small mushrooms growing on a log


halcyon1234

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I picked these little mushrooms tonight.  They were growing on a log in the woods.  When you cut them, they seem to have no gills, so I immediately thought they were puffballs.  But then I read that puffballs never grow on logs.

So, does anyone know what these mushrooms could be?  Thanks for any info.  

 

 

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2 hours ago, Jared said:

Yeah as long they’re pure white on the inside

 

Thanks, Jared.  Well, I ate them and had no problems. so they must be.  ^_^  Actually, I found them tastier than the ringless honey mushrooms.  

I read that as these pear-shaped puffballs get older, you don't want to eat them—not because they become poisonous, but because they're not really worth eating.  Anyway, I plan to go into the woods in the next day or so to pick the rest that were growing on that log.  If I remember to bring my camera along, I'll even take a picture.

This is so cool—after only a month and a half, I can now identify a grand total of three edible mushrooms.  :applause: I guess I'm lucky to have them all growing within half a mile of where I live. 

 

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Puffballs that are not pure white inside should not be consumed. When the gleba (flesh inside) begins to turn yellow/green/dark it can cause indigestion. Also, if you want to collect puffballs for eating, you should learn to recognize species of genus Scleroderma. These poisonous "Earthballs" have very firm inner flesh. Usually there are at least somewhat gray inside. But, occasionally a young one may be pure white. Finally, any "puffball" found growing on the ground should be vertically sectioned in order to be certain it's not actually an unopened button of a gilled mushroom (most notably a poisonous Amanita). 

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I've always ignored gem-studded puffballs, but picked up a few to try this afternoon .... yuck. Won't be doing that again. Tasted like mushroom flavored unsweet marshmallows. I fried them in a pan with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. My wife disliked them more than I did.

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11 hours ago, Dave W said:

Puffballs that are not pure white inside should not be consumed. When the gleba (flesh inside) begins to turn yellow/green/dark it can cause indigestion. Also, if you want to collect puffballs for eating, you should learn to recognize species of genus Scleroderma. These poisonous "Earthballs" have very firm inner flesh. Usually there are at least somewhat gray inside. But, occasionally a young one may be pure white. Finally, any "puffball" found growing on the ground should be vertically sectioned in order to be certain it's not actually an unopened button of a gilled mushroom (most notably a poisonous Amanita). 

 

Interesting what you wrote there, Dave W.  I went back into the woods tonight and picked a bunch more of these mushrooms.  But the vast majority of them were a slimy dark gray inside, as you can see in the last pic below.  Just to be safe, I threw out all the mushrooms.

Does this mean that these are actually another species instead?  The four mushrooms I ate last night (from the same log) gave me no problems, but I decided not to eat any of the ones I collected tonight.

One article had this to say:   "An earthball is firm; a puffball feels more like a marshmallow."  Well, these mushrooms definitely feel like marshmallows. 

 

 

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The small puffballs seen here are almost certainly Lycoperdon pyriforme. In the interest of preventing one from possibly making a mistake in the future, I think it's a good idea to address this potential. The "marshmallow" texture criterion is a good feature for separating Puffballs from "Earthballs" (Scleroderma). 

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On 10/22/2020 at 8:53 PM, Rondayvous said:

My guess is that you were lucky enough to find a couple of fresh ones in a patch that was on it's way out.

 

That sounds reasonable, Rondayvous, but they were so small.  I mean, what size do these mushrooms have to be when they're still fresh—microscopic??? ;)

And what would've happened if I'd eaten some of the ones with the slimy gray stuff in the middle?  🤮

 

16 hours ago, Dave W said:

The small puffballs seen here are almost certainly Lycoperdon pyriforme. In the interest of preventing one from possibly making a mistake in the future, I think it's a good idea to address this potential. The "marshmallow" texture criterion is a good feature for separating Puffballs from "Earthballs" (Scleroderma). 

 

Makes sense, Dave, since "scleroderma" literally means "hard skin."  🦾

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halcyon1234 these get to full size while they are still white inside--they just don't stay white very long once they reach full size.  With practice, you can get a fairly good idea of whether they will be white inside by giving them a little squeeze--the white ones will be firmer, and the ones that have progressed in development will be squishier.

Apioperdon pyriforme is another name for this species which has come into use lately.  Apioperdon was previously considered a subgenus of Lycoperdon (and before that of Morganella), but a 2017 study suggested it should be elevated to genus level: Vizzini, A. & Ercole, E. (2017)

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On 10/24/2020 at 9:19 AM, Vermonter said:

halcyon1234 these get to full size while they are still white inside--they just don't stay white very long once they reach full size.

 

Thanks, Vermonter.  So how long do they stay fresh—about 5 minutes? ;)

 

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With practice, you can get a fairly good idea of whether they will be white inside by giving them a little squeeze--the white ones will be firmer, and the ones that have progressed in development will be squishier.

 

OK, that's a nice, simple test.  Would the overripe mushrooms make a person really sick?

 

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Apioperdon pyriforme is another name for this species which has come into use lately.  Apioperdon was previously considered a subgenus of Lycoperdon (and before that of Morganella), but a 2017 study suggested it should be elevated to genus levelVizzini, A. & Ercole, E. (2017)

 

Interesting.  And I guess whoever ran the study should be elevated to "genius level."  😄

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halcyon1234 I have never tried to figure out how long these puffballs remain white after reaching their full size.  I would guess it varies a lot depending on how warm the weather is.  Wild guess--the window might range from less than a day in warm weather to a few days in cold weather.

Regarding whether fruit bodies that have developed beyond the all-white stage would make you really sick--Dave W's comment above that they can cause indigestion is the conventional wisdom, and I have never challenged it.  That said, I did once read somewhere that more developed puffballs are sometimes favored in Japan--so it's possible that the potential for GI distress is less than we think.  Should you decide to experiment, it would be especially important to observe the usual advice for trying any new mushroom: start small and leave sufficient time for any adverse effects to manifest before gradually increasing the amount consumed.

I get your pun about the "genius level"--and it is a hassle to try and keep up with the rapid changes in nomenclature these days--but I think it's truly amazing what has been learned through the powerful tool of DNA analysis.  It has revealed some surprising kinships that were not even guessed at by scientists limited to the study of physical characteristics.  It has also revealed that species thought to be close relatives are really not, and that the number of species in the fungal kingdom is much greater than previously thought--with apparently the vast majority yet unnamed.

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13 hours ago, Vermonter said:

halcyon1234 I have never tried to figure out how long these puffballs remain white after reaching their full size.  I would guess it varies a lot depending on how warm the weather is.  Wild guess--the window might range from less than a day in warm weather to a few days in cold weather.

 

Thanks, Vermonter.  That window sounds reasonable.

 

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Regarding whether fruit bodies that have developed beyond the all-white stage would make you really sick--Dave W's comment above that they can cause indigestion is the conventional wisdom, and I have never challenged it.  That said, I did once read somewhere that more developed puffballs are sometimes favored in Japan--so it's possible that the potential for GI distress is less than we think.  Should you decide to experiment, it would be especially important to observe the usual advice for trying any new mushroom: start small and leave sufficient time for any adverse effects to manifest before gradually increasing the amount consumed.

 

Good advice, but those mushrooms looked so gross inside that I don't think I'm quite that adventurous.  😅  I was just wondering what might've happened if I'd been a little careless and forgotten to check if the mushrooms were completely white on the inside.

 

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but I think it's truly amazing what has been learned through the powerful tool of DNA analysis.  It has revealed some surprising kinships that were not even guessed at by scientists limited to the study of physical characteristics.  It has also revealed that species thought to be close relatives are really not, and that the number of species in the fungal kingdom is much greater than previously thought--with apparently the vast majority yet unnamed.

 

Yes, that is quite fascinating.  

 

 

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On 10/27/2020 at 11:58 PM, halcyon1234 said:

Good advice, but those mushrooms looked so gross inside that I don't think I'm quite that adventurous.  😅  I was just wondering what might've happened if I'd been a little careless and forgotten to check if the mushrooms were completely white on the inside.

I agree that the green to black slimy ones are quite unappealing--though it makes sense they might be enjoyed in Japan where slimy foods are much more appreciated.  I was thinking more of those that are only slightly yellow.  I have encountered ones that were a little yellow inside, but still firm (and could pass my squeeze test).  I think I actually ate a few one time that had a slight yellow tint--and wasn't bothered by them, but I didn't have many.  Honestly though, I'm not a big fan of the flavor of the little puffballs--these and Lycoperdon perlatum (I appreciate the flavor of the larger puffballs in the genus Calvatia more).  I find the flavor of these to be a little sharp, with an off-putting note--sort of chlorine-like.  I might like them better if they were breaded and fried, or in a well-seasoned dish, but I tend to prepare wild mushrooms very simply because I like to fully experience their inherent flavor.

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