Content
Red truffle, pinkish rhizopogon, pinkish truffle, Rhizopogon roseolus - these are the names of the same mushroom of the genus Rizopogon. The fruiting body is formed shallowly under the topsoil. It is rare, not in demand among mushroom pickers.
Where pinkish rhizopogons grow
The mushroom rhizopogon is found under spruce and pine, in mixed forests, where oak predominates, less often under other deciduous species. It is located in groups shallow in the soil, covered with leaf or coniferous litter. Only a small part of mature specimens appears on the surface, and even then rarely. The mode of growth complicates harvesting and determining the boundaries of the distribution of the population.
Fruiting for a long time, the collection begins in the middle of summer. In the middle lane, if autumn is warm with sufficient rainfall, the last specimens are found in mid-October. The main accumulation of reddening truffles is sought near pines and firs under a coniferous pillow.
What pinkish rhizopogons look like
Rhizopogons are not divided into a leg and a cap. The fruit body is uneven, rounded or tuberous. They grow under the top layer of the soil, on the surface there are often only long filaments of mycelium.
Description of the species:
- The diameter of the fruiting body of an adult specimen is 5-6 cm.
- Peridium is first whitish, then yellow with a greenish tint.
- When pressed, the place turns red, the color also changes after being removed from the soil, the peridium oxidizes and turns pink, hence the specific name.
- The surface of young specimens is rough, velvety. Ripe mushrooms become smooth.
- The pulp is dense, oily, during ripening it changes color from white to light brown, turns red at the cut site. The inner part of the peridium consists of numerous longitudinal chambers filled with spores.
Is it possible to eat pinkish rhizopogons
The species is little known, it is not collected in large quantities. Belongs to the category of edible mushrooms. There are no substances poisonous to humans in the fruiting body. Rhizopogones are consumed only at a young age. Over time, the pulp becomes loose and dry.
Taste qualities of the mushroom pinkish rhizopogon
The mushroom vaguely resembles a truffle in taste, a delicious look. The pulp is juicy, dense with a pleasant, sweetish taste, but only in young specimens. The smell is weak, barely perceptible. Peridia are used without preliminary processing.
False doubles
The most similar twin is the common Rhizopogon (Rhizopogon vulgaris).
Outwardly, the fruit bodies of the twin in color and shape resemble potato tubers. The surface of the peridium is velvety, light olive in color. The flesh is creamy, dense and oily, darkens slightly on the cut, and does not turn reddish. The method, time and place of growth are the same for the species.A similar mushroom belongs to the fourth group in terms of nutritional value.
Use
Red truffle is used without preliminary soaking and boiling. The pulp is firm, with a pleasant taste, well suited for all processing methods. You can prepare the second and first courses from pinkish rhizopogon. Fruit bodies are suitable for pickling and pickling. Used as an ingredient in salads, you can make pate or mushroom caviar.
Conclusion
Rhizopogon pinkish - a rare mushroom with a mild smell and taste. Refers to the conditionally edible group. The fruiting body without a cap and stem is rounded, completely buried in the ground. The main accumulation of rhizopogons near conifers.
