Tricholoma magnivelare
| Tricholoma magnivelare | |
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| Species: | T. magnivelare
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| Binomial name | |
| Tricholoma magnivelare (Peck) Redhead
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Tricholoma magnivelare is a gilled mushroom found in the Pacific Northwest of North America growing in coniferous woodland. These ectomycorrhizal fungi are typically edible species which exist in a symbiotic relationship with various species of pine. They belong to the genus Tricholoma, which includes the closely related East Asian matsutake (T. matsutake). T. magnivelare is also known as ponderosa mushroom, pine mushroom, American matsutake, or locally as matsutake.
In recent years, globalization has made hunting for pine mushrooms popular among all types of people of British Columbia, where they are found under pine trees and often associated with deer trails. Local mushroom hunters sell their harvest daily to local depots which rush them to airports. The mushrooms are then shipped fresh by air to Asia where demand is high and price at a premium.
Serious poisonings have resulted from confusion of this mushroom with Amanita smithiana.
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