Identify the fungus
August 24, 2015 2:14 PM Subscribe
What is this fungus?
Found in the woods in New Jersey, just now. There are several of them nearby. The light-colored split areas are pale green.
It's pretty large--size 10 shoe shown for scale--I didn't have a banana.
Found in the woods in New Jersey, just now. There are several of them nearby. The light-colored split areas are pale green.
It's pretty large--size 10 shoe shown for scale--I didn't have a banana.
I'm an avid mushroom forager.
I might be able to figure this out but I will need more information. Are you able to take a photo of the underside of the mushroom? The type of gills, or absence of gills (for example, having pores instead) will help me to narrow down which species it may be, or at least the genus.
I am assuming that they are all pretty "old" based on the splitting/cracking across the cap.
My raw guess (which is still meaningless without more information) is a member of the Boletus genus. That's because of the fact that they're still in season in the eastern US, and the rusty red color and shape of the cap is not dissimilar from many boletes I've run into.
posted by nightrecordings at 2:40 PM on August 24, 2015
I might be able to figure this out but I will need more information. Are you able to take a photo of the underside of the mushroom? The type of gills, or absence of gills (for example, having pores instead) will help me to narrow down which species it may be, or at least the genus.
I am assuming that they are all pretty "old" based on the splitting/cracking across the cap.
My raw guess (which is still meaningless without more information) is a member of the Boletus genus. That's because of the fact that they're still in season in the eastern US, and the rusty red color and shape of the cap is not dissimilar from many boletes I've run into.
posted by nightrecordings at 2:40 PM on August 24, 2015
Also - I see it's growing in soil among dead leaves. What type of trees are immediately nearby? Hardwoods? Pines? Is it right near the edge of a road/path or deep in the woods? Detailed information about the immediate environment it's growing in/near will help, as well.
posted by nightrecordings at 2:44 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by nightrecordings at 2:44 PM on August 24, 2015
Best answer: Boletes look spongy underneath. I am going to share this like it or not. Working in a hospital I listened to a woman dying from mushroom poisoning, she screamed for half a day, before, I suppose she got medicinal pain relief, maybe, because I don't know. I do know she passed away. My mom said every so often a whole family of gatherers would fall ill from the spores of only one bad choice in a bag with all the rest.
That brown mushroom, buy some criminis in the market and be happy. I have picked boletes that are 16 inches across and three inches thick, they are mediocre in flavor. I don't recall their flesh being green in color.
posted by Oyéah at 2:51 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
That brown mushroom, buy some criminis in the market and be happy. I have picked boletes that are 16 inches across and three inches thick, they are mediocre in flavor. I don't recall their flesh being green in color.
posted by Oyéah at 2:51 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Here's the underside
The underside is composed of 1mm pores. The blackened areas are where I held it--likely black spores.
We do not eat mushrooms from the woods.
posted by hexatron at 2:54 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
The underside is composed of 1mm pores. The blackened areas are where I held it--likely black spores.
We do not eat mushrooms from the woods.
posted by hexatron at 2:54 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes, boletus are spongy-looking on the underside of their cap - they have pores as opposed to gills.
There are over 100 species within the Boletus genus. Criminis are but one, but there are many edible boletus. This doesn't mean that you should eat them or that this particular mushroom is edible.
I don't think the OP was asking if they could eat this (upon preview, that's now confirmed), nor was anyone recommending that the OP eat it. Even if I could identify the mushroom visually from additional description and photographs, I still wouldn't recommend eating it.
Hexatron I will take a look at the additional photo - thanks!
posted by nightrecordings at 2:57 PM on August 24, 2015
There are over 100 species within the Boletus genus. Criminis are but one, but there are many edible boletus. This doesn't mean that you should eat them or that this particular mushroom is edible.
I don't think the OP was asking if they could eat this (upon preview, that's now confirmed), nor was anyone recommending that the OP eat it. Even if I could identify the mushroom visually from additional description and photographs, I still wouldn't recommend eating it.
Hexatron I will take a look at the additional photo - thanks!
posted by nightrecordings at 2:57 PM on August 24, 2015
Okay, photo link is not working for me. :(
posted by nightrecordings at 2:58 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by nightrecordings at 2:58 PM on August 24, 2015
Response by poster: Photo is fixed. The underside is spongy.
posted by hexatron at 3:03 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by hexatron at 3:03 PM on August 24, 2015
Response by poster: ...and it is certainly a boletas.
posted by hexatron at 3:08 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by hexatron at 3:08 PM on August 24, 2015
Great, thank you, I have the photo up now - thank you again for going outside and taking that - I am doing some research now. And yes, I do believe it's a Boletus, but "which one"! That's the fun part! :P I will let you know what I find out here...
posted by nightrecordings at 3:09 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by nightrecordings at 3:09 PM on August 24, 2015
P.S. If you're able, can you advise if it has an odor (some mushrooms do - they can smell like anything from yeast to apricots) and if that was near hardwoods, or along the very edge of the woods or deeper into the woods? You do not have to put your nose right up on the mushroom - if you're within a foot and can get a whiff, that's all.
posted by nightrecordings at 3:12 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by nightrecordings at 3:12 PM on August 24, 2015
There are over 100 species within the Boletus genus. Criminis are but one...
I'm sorry to be that person, but I just want to point out that criminis are in the Agaricus family, not the Boletus family. (I think maybe you meant to say they are "not one," not that they are "but one"?)
:)
posted by mudpuppie at 3:17 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm sorry to be that person, but I just want to point out that criminis are in the Agaricus family, not the Boletus family. (I think maybe you meant to say they are "not one," not that they are "but one"?)
:)
posted by mudpuppie at 3:17 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Okay, based on the second photo, one strong possibility would be Tylopilus chromapes. It is part of the Boletales order, but a different genus than Boletus. It *is* considered a "good edible" (meaning if you were actually able to positively ID it using a spore print, which I'm not able to do for you, it would 'taste good' but DO NOT eat this). It shares the rose-pink cap, pinkish/brownish pores, yellowish stem at the base, pink-tinted flesh inside when cut. Habitat is scattered on the ground near hardwoods or conifers. Season is June - August and found in northeastern US but as far south as Georgia.
posted by nightrecordings at 3:20 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by nightrecordings at 3:20 PM on August 24, 2015
Yes, that was supposed to be 'not one' - thank you!
posted by nightrecordings at 3:23 PM on August 24, 2015
posted by nightrecordings at 3:23 PM on August 24, 2015
Response by poster: The fungus has a faint odor, most like that of white store-bought mushrooms. Yeasty, I guess.
The woods are some old oaks and newer (20-30 year old) assorted maple, beech . There were birches, but they all died in storms of the last few years. And our deer plague has prevented any younger trees from getting established.
posted by hexatron at 3:54 PM on August 24, 2015
The woods are some old oaks and newer (20-30 year old) assorted maple, beech . There were birches, but they all died in storms of the last few years. And our deer plague has prevented any younger trees from getting established.
posted by hexatron at 3:54 PM on August 24, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
(don't eat it because I said so, I'm no expert...but... I would eat it)...
posted by HuronBob at 2:27 PM on August 24, 2015