Contents
The scaly cobweb is a conditionally edible representative of the Spider web family. But due to the lack of taste and weak musty aroma, it has no nutritional value. It grows among spruce and deciduous trees, in a moist place. Occurs singly or in small groups from August to October.
Description of the scaly cobweb
Since the mushroom belongs to the 4th edibility group, it is important to be able to distinguish it and know the time and place of growth. Therefore, acquaintance with the scaly cobweb should begin with external characteristics.
The fungus grows in damp places
Cap Description
The bell-shaped cap straightens as it matures and becomes flat-convex. The surface is covered with a light brown or rusty-brown skin with dark coffee scales. The edges are light, sometimes acquire an olive tint.
The spore layer consists of rare, partially adherent plates, which are covered with a thin cobweb at the initial stage of development. At the beginning they are painted in a light chocolate color with a purple tint, as they grow, they become rusty-brown. Reproduction occurs by microscopic spores, which are in a whitish powder.
In cooking, only caps of young mushrooms are used.
Description of the leg
A small, thin leg has a club-shaped shape. The surface is smooth, light brown. Closer to the ground, the leg thickens, and the color changes to dark rusty. The flesh is loose, light purple in color, tasteless, with an unpleasant musty odor.
The fleshy leg has an unpleasant odor
Where and how to grow
This representative prefers to grow in a moist place, near water bodies, on wet moss, among spruce and deciduous trees. It grows in small families, bears fruit from August to October.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Cobweb scaly after prolonged heat treatment is used in cooking. From the harvested crop, you can cook fried, stewed and canned dishes. Only the caps of young specimens are used for food. Mushroom picking should be carried out in dry, sunny weather, in ecologically clean places.
Twins and their differences
The scaly cobweb, like all the inhabitants of the forest, has similar counterparts. These include:
- Red olive – conditionally edible representative of the mushroom kingdom. You can recognize the species by a spherical or prostrate hat of a lilac-purple color. The leg is fleshy, slightly purple in color. The pulp is dense, the taste is bitter. The mushroom is rarely found, settles in mixed forests in small groups. It bears fruit throughout the warm period.
Grows in mixed forests
- dove blue – a large, edible specimen, with a sky-violet slimy cap. Purple, dense flesh has a bitter taste and exudes an unpleasant aroma. Despite this, after a long boil it is used in cooking. It is rare, grows in broad-leaved forests in numerous families.
Fruiting from August to October
Conclusion
The scaly cobweb is a conditionally edible mushroom. It grows in mixed forests; young caps are used in cooking. To recognize a mushroom, it is important to know a detailed description, view photo and video materials.