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Leucoagaricus naucinus [ Basidiomycetes > Agaricales > Agaricaceae > Leucoagaricus . . . ]
by Michael Kuo This common mushroom appears in lawns across North America. It is typically a fall mushroom, but it can be found in spring and summer as well. It is recognized by its white gills, white cap, and white ring. It lacks a universal veil, but it could be easily mistaken for an Amanita. Its most distinctive feature, in my opinion, is the odd shape of the young cap, which, while basically convex, is rather a lumpy version of convex. Many forms of this species bruise yellowish or brownish on handling, and the stem is often slightly bulbous--but these features are variable enough that they should not be relied upon for identification. The edibility of Leucoagaricus naucinus is uncertain. It is clear that, at the very least, it is mildly poisonous to some people. It may be the case that the yellow-staining forms are toxic, while other forms are not, but this has yet to be proven. Clearly, it is not a mushroom that should be eaten, even though it is listed as "edible" in many field guides. Additionally, the potential is high that a beginning mushroomer could mistake Leucoagaricus naucinus for a deadly Amanita. Description: Ecology: Saprobic; growing alone or gregariously in grassy areas or on disturbed ground (roadsides, cultivated areas, and so on); often in the vicinity of conifers; occasionally in the woods; late summer through fall (but sometimes found in spring); widely distributed and common throughout North America. Cap: 4-10 cm; convex or irregularly convex when young ("lumpy looking"), becoming broadly convex or nearly flat; dry; smooth or occasionally with a few tiny flakes or scales; white or grayish white (darker gray in some forms); often bruising yellowish; the margin not lined. Gills: Free from the stem; close; white, sometimes developing pinkish hues in age. Stem: 5-15 cm long; .5-1.5 cm thick; more or less equal, but frequently swollen at the base; dry; smooth; often discoloring yellowish to brownish and/or bruising these shades; with a white ring on the upper stem that is fairly persistent but may fall away. Flesh: White; not changing on exposure to air. Odor and Taste: Odor not distinctive, or foul in some forms; taste not distinctive. Spore Print: White. Microscopic Features: Spores 7-9 x 5-6 µ; smooth; oval to elliptical; dextrinoid; with a small pore. Cheilocystidia variously shaped, 28-39 x 7-12 µ. REFERENCES: (Fries, 1838) Singer, 1951. (Saccardo, 1887; Kauffman, 1918; Kauffman, 1924; Smith, 1949; H. V. Smith, 1954; Smith, 1975; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Weber & Smith, 1985; Arora, 1986; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Barron, 1999; Roody, 2003; McNeil, 2006; Miller & Miller, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 09129401, 10040702. Lepiota naucina, Lepiota naucinoides, Lepiota leucothites, and Leucoagaricus leucothites are synonyms. Further Online Information: Leucoagaricus naucinus at MykoWeb |
MushroomExpert.Com contributor Richard Nadon collects a dark form of Leucoagaricus naucinus in Quebec:
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2005, October). Leucoagaricus naucinus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/leucoagaricus_naucinus.html |