Content
The motley moss, or in Latin Xerocomellus chrysenteron, is a mushroom of the Boletov family, the genus Xeroomellus or Mokhovichok. Among mushroom pickers, it is also known under the name fissured, yellow-meat and pasture boletus. Some scientists attribute it to the boletus genus.
What motley flyworms look like
The fruiting body consists of a cap and a stem. The cap is small, fleshy, about 10 cm in diameter. It is convex in shape. Its surface is dry to the touch, similar to felt. The color ranges from light brown to dark brown. The edges of the cap are often framed with a narrow reddish border. As it grows, the skin cracks, the red flesh is exposed.
The tubular layer is colored depending on the age of the variegated flywheel. In young specimens it is light yellow, in old ones it is green. The tubules also change color from yellow or greyish to olive. Their stomata are wide, and the spores are fusiform.
The leg is flat, without thickenings, cylindrical, tapering at the bottom. The length does not exceed 9-10 cm. Its color is light yellow or with a brown tinge, closer to red at the base. When pressed, bluish spots appear on the leg.
The pulp is yellowish, on the cuts and when pressed, it turns blue, and then turns red. At the base of the leg and under the cap, the flesh is colored red. The taste is delicate, slightly sweet, and the smell is similar to fruity.
Where motley mushrooms grow
Variegated flywheels grow in temperate zones in the central part of Russia, Siberia and the Far East. You can meet them in deciduous forests. Sometimes they come across among conifers. They often settle near linden trees. They do not grow abundantly, singly or in small groups. They prefer loose soil, acidified and acidic soils.
Is it possible to eat motley mushrooms
The motley moss is edible. In terms of nutritional value, it belongs to the fourth category. It is eaten and contains nutrients.
False doubles
Inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse the variegated flywheel with the following species:
- Pepper mushroom... It is sometimes mistaken for flywheels. To distinguish between these types, it is necessary to cut or break the fruit body. The flywheel turns blue when broken, and the pulp of the pepper mushroom becomes reddish. The tubular layer of the latter is brick-colored.
- Chestnut mushroom, or gyroporus. It is not a poisonous species, but it is not eaten. Gyroporus tastes very bitter. Its resemblance to the variegated flywheel lies in the appearance of characteristic cracks on the cap. But the chestnut mushroom has a hollow stem and does not turn blue when cut.
- Gall mushroom... In order not to confuse it, an incision should be made. The pulp of the gall mushroom is pinkish on the cut.
Collection rules
Collection time is from July to October. Young mushrooms are more suitable for consumption. Fruit bodies are cleared of earth and forest litter. Subsequently, they are washed, the damaged areas are cut off, a layer of spores under the cap.
Use
You can cook delicious dishes from the variegated flywheel.It is suitable for various types of culinary processing: boiling, frying, stewing, pickling. Fruit bodies can also be dried for the winter.
Housewives do not always take up their preparation for one reason: old mushrooms are often slimy. Therefore, it is recommended to take young specimens for soups, salads, main courses.
Conclusion
The variegated moss is a common edible mushroom found in the temperate zone, in deciduous forests. In order not to confuse it with twins, you should check the cut. In a flywheel, it always turns blue.
