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In Russian forests, mushrooms are very common with the affectionate name of chanterelles, emphasizing the original bright yellow color in the color of a fox coat. They are especially generously scattered in damp, shaded places where there is a lot of moss. These gifts of the forest are very tasty, and an avid mushroom picker will not indifferently pass by the bright "fox" meadow. The common chanterelle has several similar species. One of them is the club-shaped chanterelle, or the club-shaped chanterelle. These mushrooms are not only similar in appearance, but have the same places of growth, a similar composition of trace elements. Despite the similarities, eukaryotes are not direct relatives. Gomphus clavate belongs to the Gomfaceae family. Recent studies have shown that in terms of molecular composition, this species is closer to the jelly and the lattice.
Where clavate chanterelles grow
The habitat of the clavate chanterelle is coniferous and mixed forests of the temperate climatic zone. These are Central Russia, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East. It is also found in the forests of Canada and North America. Mushrooms grow in large colonies that are arranged in the form of circles or stripes.
What clavate chanterelles look like
The appearance of the homphus is quite interesting. These are representatives of the flat-toothed type. Young mushrooms are uniformly colored purple, and with age they acquire a yellow-brown tint. Adult specimens are rather large. Their cap, reaching 14 cm in diameter, has a rounded shape with a wavy, uneven edge and a center depressed in the form of a funnel. At the break, it is white or pale yellow, with a pleasant mushroom taste and smell.
The clavate chanterelle has a dense, fleshy flesh. The seamy side of her cap, the hymenophore, consists of large branched folds - pseudo-plates, smoothly passing onto the leg.
The stem of the gomphus has an original shape that reflects the name. It is dense, hollow on the inside and resembles a mace. Fruit bodies often grow together to form large bundles.
In the old days, the clavate chanterelle was very common. She was appreciated for her high culinary qualities. It was collected with pleasure, used for cooking. Today, many mushroom pickers do not even know about the clavate chanterelle. Meanwhile, its population is rapidly declining. If you do not take measures to protect it, then, soon it may disappear completely.
Is it possible to eat club-shaped chanterelles
According to the modern mushroom classifier (section "edibility"), the clavate chanterelle belongs to the category of "edible mushrooms". It can be harvested, subjected to any kind of culinary treatment, and enjoy a pleasant taste and aroma.
When classifying mushrooms by nutritional value, they look at their taste and nutritional qualities, calorie content, digestibility, whether the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is high.In this section, the second category is assigned to gomfus, in which edible mushrooms with good taste are collected.
Taste qualities
The clavate chanterelle, like representatives of similar species, is famous for its very pleasant taste with soft nutty notes. There are many recipes for mushroom dishes with chanterelles. Having prepared and tasted them, you can feel the whole variety of flavoring nuances. During the cooking process, it is recommended to thoroughly grind the mushrooms so that they are more easily absorbed by the body.
The pulp of gomphus clavate in consistency and taste differs significantly from the pulp of tubular or lamellar compatriots. Mushroom pickers claim that they taste like coral mushrooms, but their culinary properties are much higher.
Benefit and harm
The clavate chanterelle has a rich microelement composition, which determines its numerous medicinal properties. The most valuable in its composition are:
- polysaccharides - chinomannosis (anthelmintic effect), ergosterol (hepatoprotective effect);
- several types of amino acids, among which there is trametonolinic acid (indispensable in the treatment of hepatitis and other liver diseases);
- copper and zinc (have a beneficial effect on the condition of the eyes).
The vitamin composition of chanterelles is also diverse. This is a whole complex of vital elements, such as vitamins A (142 mg per 100 g of product), B1 (001 mg), B2 (0.35 mg), C (34 mg), E (0.5 mg), PP (5 mg ), beta-carotene (0.85 mg).
Due to this chemical composition, chanterelles have a number of actions: anthelmintic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-tuberculosis, immunostimulating and even antitumor. Extracts from chanterelles have long been used to treat colds, furunculosis, tuberculosis, and pustular inflammations.
The energy value of gomphus clavate is small and is about 19 kcal, so it can be consumed by those who care about their figure.
There are also contraindications to the use of chanterelles. Their list is small:
- an allergic reaction to mushrooms;
- infancy up to 3 years;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding period.
Careful observance of the rules for the collection and culinary processing of mushrooms will help preserve the maximum of useful elements.
Collection rules
The fruiting period of the clavate chanterelle begins in June and lasts all summer and autumn, up to frost. You need to look for it on sandy soils, in swampy places, in open meadows, among the grass. The chanterelle loves the neighborhood with conifers, birches and oaks, grows well in aspen and pine forests. These unpretentious eukaryotes are adapted to survive in any climate: during the period of heavy rains, decay processes do not begin in them, and in drought they only stop growth, outwardly remaining the same fresh and attractive.
During the growing season, chanterelles have two active fruiting phases:
- from mid-June to the end of July;
- from mid-August to early October.
The time of collecting homphus also depends on the local climate, weather, and soil composition. The abundant growth of myceliums is provided by moderate humidity, warmth, and a large number of sunny days. 6 days after the summer rain, the most abundant harvest of chanterelles can be harvested.
To eliminate the risk of poisoning, mushrooms should be picked only in ecologically clean areas, away from industrial enterprises and highways. Overripe fruiting bodies should not be taken. They contain the largest percentage of heavy metals.
False twins of clavate chanterelles
Clavate chanterelles have many similar species, among which there are inedible and poisonous ones. The most famous are the false chanterelle and the olive omphalot. They can be recognized by their appearance, some features of growth.
False chanterelle
The false chanterelle belongs to conditionally edible mushrooms and belongs to the hygrophoropsis family. It is often confused with the common chanterelle, despite the fact that the mushroom has many features:
- the false representative is colored much brighter;
- the skin on the cap separates well from the pulp;
- has a thin and long stem;
- occurs not in colonies, but in single specimens;
- does not grow on the ground, but on rotten tree trunks or forest floor;
- its pulp is often wormy;
- has a lamellar hymenophore, the plates of which differ from the cap in a brighter color.
Omphalot olive
Omphalot olive - the poisonous twin of the chanterelle. His homeland is the subtropics of the Mediterranean. It is also found in Russia, mainly in the Crimean forests. It grows on stumps, fallen trunks. This mushroom belongs to the Non-Flame family. It has a bright, fleshy, flat or concavely spreading cap. The mushroom is lamellar, while its plates go down low on a short stalk. In the dark, the effect of phosphorisation is observed. Due to its high alkaloid content, the muscarine mushroom is poisonous to humans and animals.
The use of clavate chanterelles
Chanterelle clavate is a mushroom delicacy, it is very tasty fried and boiled. Excellent mushroom soups are made with it. It lends itself to any kind of canning: pickling, salting, drying, freezing. It can be kept fresh for a long time - on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, retaining its aroma and wonderful nutty taste.
The clavate chanterelle is widely used in folk medicine. For medicinal purposes, it is dried, and then the pulp is ground into powder. In this form, it does not lose all its useful properties and can be stored for a year (at a temperature not exceeding 40 ° C). This tool is used to treat such pathologies:
- infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
- tuberculosis;
- pancteatitis and liver disease;
- helmitosis;
- eye diseases;
- excess weight.
Conclusion
Until recently, the chanterelle clavate was very popular and was valued for its taste and medicinal qualities. Today it has added itself to the list of endangered plants and animals. This is due to the violation of habitats, deforestation, unfavorable environmental conditions. If in the near future no measures are taken to restore the population, then soon one more species may be missing, which is necessary for the full development of animals and humans and which is an integral part of all aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
