Agaricus californicus
| Agaricus californicus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Agaricaceae |
| Genus: | Agaricus |
| Species: | A. californicus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Agaricus californicus | |
| Agaricus californicus | |
|---|---|
| Gills on hymenium | |
| Cap is convex | |
| Hymenium is free | |
| Stipe has a ring | |
| Spore print is brown | |
| Ecology is saprotrophic | |
| Edibility is poisonous | |
Agaricus californicus, commonly known as the mock meadow mushroom,[2] or California agaricus, is a species of fungus in the section Xanthodermati of the genus Agaricus.[3]
The mushroom is mildly poisonous, often causing gastrointestinal upset.
Description
The caps are 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in) wide, white, sometimes with a grayish-tan center, dry, and either unchanged or yellowing slightly when bruised.[4] The stalk is 3–10 cm (1.2–3.9 in) long and 1–2 wide, perhaps larger at the base.[4] It has a persistent ring.[3] The spores are brown and smooth.[4]
The species, like many members of Agaricus section Xanthodermati, displays a yellowing (then darker) reaction where its flesh has been damaged, although this is not always readily apparent. The cap surface turns yellow in KOH.[3]
Similar species
Agaricus californicus resembles many other Agaricus species, including A. arvensis,[4] A. bisporus, A. campestris,[4] and A. cupreobrunneus, which are edible and thus require careful identification.
The yellowing reaction to bruising is more quickly apparent in A. xanthodermus[4] (a relative in the section Xanthodermati).
Toxicity
It is mildly poisonous, causing gastrointestinal upset in many individuals.[3] The etiology of these symptoms is unclear and some individuals can eat it without experiencing symptoms, but as there is no way to tell who can eat the mushroom safely it is generally recommended against.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Peck CH (1895). "New species of Fungi". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 22 (5): 198–211. doi:10.2307/2478162. JSTOR 2478162.
- ^ Arora, David (February 1, 1991). All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9780898153880.
- ^ a b c d Arora, David (1986) [1979]. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. pp. 327–28. ISBN 978-0-89815-170-1.
- ^ a b c d e f Davis, R. Michael; Sommer, Robert; Menge, John A. (2012). Field Guide to Mushrooms of Western North America. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 223–224. ISBN 978-0-520-95360-4. OCLC 797915861.
- ^ "California Fungi—Agaricus californicus". MykoWeb. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
External links
Agaricus californicus in Index Fungorum
Agaricus californicus in MycoBank.