Hypomyces lactifluorum: The Lobster Mushroom

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by Michael Kuo

The "Lobster Mushroom" is actually a fungus that has parasitized a Russula or Lactarius mushroom. There's really no mistaking it: the fungus creates a beautiful, bright orange covering over the mushroom, the surface of which is rather hard, and dotted with tiny pimples. Eventually, the fungus even begins to transform the shape of the host mushroom, twisting it into odd contortions.

I realize this all may sound more than a little disgusting, but the end result is actually quite beautiful and, believe it or not, edible--subject to determination of the host, which is not very easy. The Lobster Mushroom is often sold in grocery stores (dried), and is apparently common in the open-air markets of Mexico.

All field guides caution mushroomers that the Lobster Mushroom should only be eaten when the host's identity is certain. To be honest, I have never found a Lobster Mushroom meeting the criterion. First of all, Russula and Lactarius species are not particularly easy to identify even when they're not covered with a fungus that distorts (or completely eradicates) their features. Then, even when one finds the Lobster Mushroom growing gregariously among identifiable mushrooms, it is not a certainty that the fungus did not parasitize the one poisonous Russula in the woods that decided to grow near its edible comrades.

I leave the choice up to you. The good news is that none of the Russula or Lactarius mushrooms will kill you, though a rare few will make you good and sick. The better news, however, is that the Lobster Mushroom is sold commercially in grocery stores. Presumably, the distributors know what they're doing. One last note: According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Hypomyces Web site (a must-see for online mushroomers!), the Lobster Mushroom's hosts include Lactarius and Russula species, as well as "unidentified agarics."

Description:

Ecology: Parasitic on species of Russula and Lactarius. According to several authors (Phillips, 1991; Lincoff, 1992), only white species in these genera (like Russula brevipes or Lactarius piperatus) are attacked. Personal experience leads me to doubt this--but, as I said above, identifying the host is no easy task, and I have never put much effort into it. Growing alone or gregariously in woods; widely distributed and frequently encountered in many areas; summer and fall.

Fruit Body: A hard, orange covering; attacking the host rapidly and soon engulfing it entirely; the surface dotted with tiny pimples.

Microscopic Features: 35-50 x 4-5 µ; spindle-shaped; warted; colorless; septate (with a separating wall). See the bottom illustration.

REFERENCES: (Schweinitz, 1822) Tulasne, 1860. (Weber, & Smith, 1985; Arora, 1986; States, 1990; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Metzler & Metzler, 1992; Horn, Kay & Abel, 1993; Rogerson & Samuels, 1994; Barron, 1999; Roody, 2003; McNeil, 2006; USDA, 2006; Kuo, 2007.)

Further Online Information:

Hypomyces lactifluorum at Tom Volk's Fungi
Hypomyces lactifluorum at MykoWeb
Hypomyces lactifluorum at Roger's Mushrooms

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2003, January). Hypomyces lactifluorum: The lobster mushroom. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hypomyces_lactifluorum.html