Hypomyces lactifluorum

Lobster mushroom
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Sordariomycetes
Order:	Hypocreales
Family:	Hypocreaceae
Genus:	Hypomyces
Species:	H. lactifluorum
Binomial name
Hypomyces lactifluorum (Schwein.) Tul. & C.Tul.

Lobster mushroom (Hypomyces lactifluorum) is not a mushroom, but rather a parasitic ascomycete that grows on mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster. It colonizes members of the genera Lactarius (Milk-caps) and Russula, such as Russula brevipes and Lactarius piperatus in North America. At maturity, H. lactifluorum thoroughly covers its host, rendering it unidentifiable. Lobster mushrooms are widely eaten and enjoyed; they are commercially marketed and are commonly found in some large grocery stores. They have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture. According to some, they may taste somewhat spicy if the host mushroom is an acrid Lactarius.

External links

• A lobster mushroom article on Tom's Fungi
• AmericanMushrooms.com: Lobster Mushroom
• Lobster mushroom on mykoweb