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Red-lamellar white champignon (Leucoagaricus leucothites) is an edible mushroom of the Champignon family. In 1948, the German mycologist Rolf Singer singled out the genus Leukoagaricus into a separate group. Belochampignon red-lamellar in another way is called:
- ruddy umbrella;
- belochampignon nut;
- nut lepiota;
- red-lamellar lepiota.
Where does the red-lamellar white champignon grow
Red-lamellar white champignon is widespread. It can be found in almost any climatic zone, excluding Antarctica. The fungus settles in mixed forests and outside the forest belt, prefers clearings, edges, pastures. Often grows along roads, parks, orchards and orchards. Belochampignon ruddy loves open, well-lit areas, overgrown with dense grass.
The species is a soil saprotroph and takes nutrients from dead plant debris. The mycelium is located in the humus layer. In the course of its vital activity, the red-lamellar white champignon decomposes decaying organic matter into simpler compounds, improving the structure and chemical composition of forest soil.
Fruiting from mid-July to October. The peak of fruiting occurs at the end of summer. Grows singly and in small groups of 2-3 pcs.
What does belochampignon red-lamellar look like?
This type of champignon looks beautiful and elegant. On a thin slender leg, surrounded by a whitish ring, stands a prostrate cap 6-10 cm in diameter. In young mushrooms, it looks like a bell, but later takes on a broadly convex shape with a small tubercle in the center. At the edges of the cap, you can see the remains of the bedspread. In most cases, the cap is thick-fleshed, thin-fleshy specimens are rarely found.
The color of the cap is almost white, in the central part it is a delicate pinkish cream. As the mushroom grows, the skin on the cap cracks. In the region of the tubercle, gray-beige scales appear on a smooth matte slightly velvety surface. The flesh of the cap is firm and firm, colored white. When breaking or cutting, the shade of the pulp does not change.
The spore-bearing layer is represented by even white free plates, which darken over time, acquiring a dirty pink tint. In young white champignons, the plates are hidden under a thin film of the bedspread to create favorable conditions for the ripening of spores. The spore powder has a whitish or creamy color, smooth ovoid spores are white or pinkish.
The stem of the mushroom can be up to 1.5 cm across and 5-10 cm in height. It has a clavate shape, noticeably widens at the base, turning into a root underground outgrowth. Inside the leg is hollow, its surface is smooth, sometimes covered with small scales. The color of the leg is whitish or grayish. The pulp is white, fibrous, with a pleasant fruity aroma.Young mushrooms have a thin ring on the stem - a trace from the cover that protects the fruiting body at the very beginning of growth. Over time, in some mushrooms, it completely disappears.
Is it possible to eat red-lamellar white champignon
Red-lamellar white champignon can be eaten. It is considered an edible mushroom, albeit little known. The species is collected by experienced mushroom pickers who know how to distinguish it from false counterparts. For beginners of a quiet hunt, it is better to refrain from collecting, since there are a lot of similar poisonous mushrooms. The yellowing form of the red-lamellar white champignon is inedible.
Similar species
Red-lamellar white champignon can be confused with a meadow inedible and poisonous fungus - Morgan's chlorophyllum (Chlorophyllum molybdites). The period of fruiting and the place of growth are similar. The two types can be distinguished by the color of the plates. In chlorophyllum, the underside of the cap is pale green, in mature mushrooms it becomes greenish-olive.
Belochampignon ruddy is often confused with its closest relative, the field champignon (Agaricus arvensis). It is an edible mushroom with excellent taste. It grows from May to November on pastures, forest lawns, next to stables, for which it received the popular name "horse mushroom". You can distinguish meadow champignon by the size of the cap (it reaches 15 cm), the color of the pulp (it quickly turns yellow on the cut) and by the pink plates on the bottom of the cap.
The edible champignon of the curve (Agaricus abruptibulbus) can also be mistaken for the red-lamellar white champignon. This type has a thinner flesh, which turns yellow when pressed and exudes a strong anise or almond aroma. In mature mushrooms, the plates acquire a black-brown hue. Most often, the species is found in spruce forests, grows on the litter from June to autumn, sometimes creates numerous groups of up to 30 pieces. at one place.
The red-lamellar white champignon bears a dangerous resemblance to the pale toadstool (Amanita phalloides). The deadly poisonous twin is changeable: its cap can be painted almost white, yellowish or grayish. It is the light-colored specimens that are difficult to distinguish from the red-lamellar white champignon. An essential feature of a toadstool is the snow-white color of the plates.
The red-lamellar lepiota is similar to the white toadstool or smelly fly agaric (Amanita virosa). You can distinguish it by the chlorine smell of the pulp and the slimy sticky cap.
Collection and consumption
Red-lamellar white champignon is most often found at the end of August. It can be eaten raw as an ingredient in salads or side dishes, as well as:
- fry;
- cook;
- marinate;
- dry.
In dried form, red-lamellar white champignons acquire a pale pink color.
Conclusion
Red-lamellar white champignon is a beautiful and tasty mushroom. Its little-knownness among mushroom pickers can be explained by the similarity with toadstools - people simply bypass it, without even cutting it off and not considering it properly.
