Pluteus
| Pluteus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Pluteus leoninus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
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| Genus: | Pluteus
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| Species | |
Pluteus | |
|---|---|
 | Gills on hymenium |
 | Cap is flat or convex |
 | Hymenium is free |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is pink |
 | Ecology is saprotrophic |
 | Edibility is edible or inedible |
Pluteus is a large genus of mushroom with over 100 species. They are wood rotting saprobes with pink spore prints and gills that are free from the stem. .
Characteristics of the genus[1][2]
- These fungi grow on wood or wood remains.
- The spore powder is deep pink, soon giving a pink tint to the initially pale gills.
- The gills are free from the stipe.
- There is no volva or ring (exception: the rare recently reclassified North American species P. mammillatus, previously Chamaeota sphaerospora).[3]
- Microscopically, they often have abundant, distinctive cystidia. The spores are smooth and roughly egg-shaped.
Pluteus is separated from Volvariella due to the lack of a volva and from Entoloma by growing on wood and by microscopic features.
Remarks on particular species
Some of these mushrooms are edible including P. petasatus and P. cervinus, though most people rate their taste and consistency as average at best.
Pluteus cervinus is the best known species in Europe and North America.
Several species of this genus bruise blue and contain psilocybin [4] including Pluteus washingtonensis, Pluteus salicinus, Pluteus cyanopus, Pluteus glaucus, Pluteus nigriviridis, and Pluteus villosus. [5]
References
- ^ Meinhard Moser, translated by Simon Plant: Keys to Agarics and Boleti (Roger Phillips 1983) ISBN 0-9508486-0-3
- ^ Courtecuisse, R. & Duhem, B. (1994) "Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe" Delachaux et Niestlé ISBN 2-603-00953-2, also available in English
- ^ A. M. Minnis, W. J. Sundberg et al., Annulate Pluteus species, a study of the genus Chamaeota in the United States", MYCOTAXON Vol. 96 pp. 31-39, April-June 2006
- ^ G. Guzmán, J. W. Allen & J. Gartz, "A Worldwide Geographical Distribution of the Neurotropic Fungi, an Analysis and Discussion"
- ^ Fungifama site