Content
Mokruha felt - a variety of lamellar mushrooms, which belongs to the genus Chroogomfus. The fruit body is edible; after heat treatment, it does not pose a health hazard. Grows in coniferous forests. It is quite rare and is protected by the state.
What do felt mats look like
The hat has a convex shape. Its surface is whitish, feels like felt to the touch. The color is brown or ocher. At the edges, the cap is even, consists of depressed areas. At the bottom are the plates that go down to the leg. Their coloration is brown with an orange undertone.
The upper part is from 2 to 10 cm in size. Often there is a tubercle in the middle. At the edges are the remains of the bedspread. The surface is dry, after rains it becomes sticky. In warm weather, the cap is fibrous, felt. The color is varied: yellow, brown, pinkish. Sometimes burgundy fibers are clearly visible.
The pulp of felt moss is dense, ocher, with pronounced fibers. Dries quickly and takes on a pinkish undertone. The leg is straight, swollen in the central part. The color of the fruiting body is uniform. The bedspread is fibrous, reminiscent of a cobweb.
Where do felt felts grow
Felt moss prefers woodlands. It is often found in mixed and coniferous forests. The fungus forms mycosis with pine, cedar and black fir. Fruit bodies grow singly or in large groups. Favorable conditions for the species are high humidity and warm weather.
The distribution area includes the Far East: Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin Oblast. It also grows in Japan and North America. The fruiting period is in autumn. Mokruha appears from September to October.
The extinction of the species is associated with deforestation and fires. As a result, the source of nutrition for fungi is lost - the wood of coniferous trees. Therefore, today special attention is paid to the preservation of the forest in the Far East.
Is it possible to eat felt felt
Felt bread is a quality edible mushroom. It belongs to the 4th category of nutritional value. This includes varieties that can be eaten. However, the palatability is low. The fruiting body does not have a pungent taste or aroma. The pulp does not contain harmful substances that give a bitter taste or pose a health hazard.
False doubles
The felt moss has false counterparts. These are mushrooms that are similar in appearance. However, not all of them are edible, and there are also less useful specimens. Doubles can be distinguished by their characteristic features.
Common False Doubles:
- Siberian Mokruha. A very close variety, distinguished by a grayish tint of the cap. Very rare. Nutritional properties have not been studied, so it is recommended to stop eating.
- Spruce peel. The double is distinguished by a gray-brown hat with a purple undertone. The shape is convex, gradually becoming flat.In young representatives, the cap is covered with mucus. The variety is edible, but its food quality is low.
- Mokruha is Swiss. Outwardly, it resembles a felt variety, but does not have a whitish pubescence. The cap is convex, ocher, with smooth edges. The species is considered conditionally edible; it is eaten after heat treatment.
Collection rules
Felt moss is harvested in autumn, after rains. They check glades and other open areas, places near streams and bodies of water. First of all, the roots of conifers are examined. Fruit bodies are carefully cut with a knife to preserve the mycelium.
Large baskets are used to collect mushrooms. The mass is not laid too tightly so that it does not heat up. Air gaps should remain between individual specimens. After harvesting, it is recommended to process the mushrooms as soon as possible.
Use
The collected mushrooms are placed in clean water for 3-4 hours. Then dirt, leaves, needles and other debris are removed from the fruit bodies. Then they are cut into pieces and cooked over low heat for 45 minutes. The resulting mass is fried, canned, added to soups, side dishes, baking fillings.
Conclusion
Mokrukha felt - a rare mushroom included in the Red Book of Russia. He is greeted next to conifers. The variety has several twins, among which there are poisonous representatives. Fruit bodies are eaten after pretreatment.
