Content
The cap basidiomycete from the numerous Pig family is the glaucous gyrodon. In scientific sources, you can find another name for the mushroom - alderwood, or Latin - Gyrodon lividus. As the name suggests, the tubular mushroom prefers to grow near deciduous trees, mostly under alder.
What does glaucous gyrodon look like?
The cap of a young Basidiomecet has a semicircular shape. Over time, it becomes cushion, slightly depressed in the center. Its diameter can range from 3 to 15 cm.
The edges of the cap are thinned, slightly tucked up, later acquire a wavy shape
The surface of the mushroom is dry, velvety, and becomes smooth over time. At high air humidity, the skin of glaucous gyrodon becomes sticky.
The color of the cap of the young copy is sandy, olive, light. In the old fruiting body, it becomes rusty-brown, yellow, dark.
The reverse side of the cap is covered with a thin layer of hymenophore, which is formed from thin and short tubes descending to the pedicle and growing to it. They form large labyrinthine pores, first golden and then dark olive. If you press on the surface of the hymenophore, it will turn blue or green, and eventually turn brown altogether.
The leg grows cylindrical, thinner at the base, its location is central. At first it is even, but over time it bends and becomes thinner. Its length does not exceed 9 cm, and its thickness is 2 cm.
In young specimens, the leg is covered with a mealy bloom, over time it becomes completely smooth. Its color is always identical to the color of the cap, but it also happens a little lighter.
The upper part of the leg is solid yellow, this is due to the downward hymenophore
The spongy, friable, fleshy flesh of the glaucous gyrodon cap is almost always pale and yellow. On the leg, it is darker and harder, more fibrous. If you cut it, it will turn brown, later it will turn dark blue. Smell and taste are not pronounced.
Spores are ellipsoidal, can be rounded, wide enough, with a slight yellow tinge. Their size is from 5 to 6 microns.
Where does the glaucous gyrodon grow
The fungus grows in deciduous forests throughout Europe, rarely in the Western part of Russia, and is also found in Israel. In some countries, it is included in the Red Book.
This Basidiomycete often forms mycorrhiza with alder, but can also be found near other deciduous crops.
Gyrodon glaucous grows in groups on well-moistened soil, destroyed stumps, can also form in sandy loam soils, mosses.
Is it possible to eat glaucous gyrodon
The mushroom is edible, does not contain toxic substances, does not pose a danger to human health. Young basidiomycetes have a good taste; over time, the nutritional value and taste are sharply reduced. The pulp of glaucous gyrodon does not have a pronounced taste or aroma.
False doubles
The mushroom has a spongy structure of the hymenophore characteristic only for it and its olive color. These features clearly distinguish glaucous gyrodon from other representatives of the forest.No poisonous twins were found in a member of the Pig family.
But there is an edible brother - Girodon merulius. These species are completely identical.
There are only two differences: the darker color of the fruiting body and the mustard spongy hymenophore
Collection rules
They go on a mushroom hike in the middle of summer or at the beginning of September. Gyrodon glaucous appears with the arrival of autumn, bears fruit until the first frost.
You can find it in a forest dominated by deciduous trees, mainly alder. You should not hesitate with the collection, because the most delicious specimens are young, not overripe. You can distinguish them by their light, smooth cap; in old mushrooms, it becomes dark, rusty.
It is impossible to collect alder groves near roads and industrial enterprises, all mushrooms absorb salts of heavy metals from polluted air well.
Use
Gyrodon bluish, after collection, needs to be processed in the next few hours, since its pulp quickly loses its shape, oxidizes. The fruit body is washed under running water, cleaned of dirt, adhering leaves, sand and moss residues.
Then the mushroom is boiled for half an hour in salted water, the brine is drained, the procedure is repeated. Next, boiled glaucous gyrodone is prepared to taste.
This mushroom is not suitable for preparation, drying, pickling, salting. Its flesh quickly collapses; if damaged, it becomes an ugly blue color.
Conclusion
Gyrodon glaucous is a cap-type tubular mushroom that is not often found in the forest. The species is classified as endangered. The alder wood does not represent nutritional value, but its collection is not prohibited - the fruit body does not contain substances hazardous to humans. Presumably, this Basidiomycete belongs to the 4th category of nutritional value.
