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The ear-shaped pig is a mushroom that is ubiquitous in the forests of Kazakhstan and Our Country. Another name for Tapinella panuoides is Panusoid Tapinella. The fleshy light brown cap resembles an auricle in its appearance, which is why, in fact, the mushroom got its name. It is often confused with milk mushrooms, but they have a lot of differences.
Where does the pig ear grow
This mushroom culture can be found in any region of the country with a temperate climate. It grows in the forest zone (coniferous, deciduous, mixed forests), in particular on the edge, more often it can be found near swamps and reservoirs, rarely found in meadows. Panus-shaped tapinella grows on moss bedding, on dead tree trunks and their rhizomes. The eared pig spores on the wooden poles of old buildings. With its growth, culture provokes the destruction of the tree. Most often found in large families, less common are single specimens.
What does a pig ear look like
For most types of pigs, a characteristic feature is the absence of a leg. The ear-shaped pig has it, but it is very short and thick, visually it merges with the body of the fungus. The hat is fleshy, the color can be light brown, brown, dirty yellow. The spreading, rounded surface reaches 11-12 cm in diameter, its thickness can reach up to 1 cm. The edges of the cap are uneven, wavy or jagged, reminiscent of ruffles. The surface of the cap is matte, rough, velvety. In older mushrooms, the surface becomes completely smooth.
Swine ear-shaped refers to agaric mushrooms. The plates are thin, light yellow, close to each other, at the base of the cap grow together.
In young mushrooms, the flesh is hard, rubbery, creamy or dirty yellow, in old ones it becomes loose, spongy. If the Panus-shaped tapenella is cut off, the damage site will become dark, brown. The aroma of the pulp is coniferous, resinous. When dried, it turns into a sponge.
Spores are oval, smooth, brown. Spore powder is light brown or dirty yellow.
Is it possible to eat pig ear
Until the early 90s, the species belonged to conditionally edible crops; it has a slightly toxic effect on the body. The ear pig has the ability to absorb salts of heavy metals from the atmosphere. Due to the deterioration of the ecological situation, the culture has become toxic. Also in the composition of the pulp there are toxic substances – lectins, which provoke the adhesion of red blood cells in the human body. These toxic substances are not destroyed during cooking and are not excreted from the human body. In large quantities, the use of panus-shaped tapinella can provoke the development of serious diseases and even lead to death. After a series of serious poisonings, the ear-shaped pig was recognized as a poisonous mushroom.
Similar species
The ear-shaped pig in appearance resembles a yellow breast, but there are many differences between them. The breast is more yellow and darker, smooth, it has a small stem that holds the hat above the soil level. The edge of the cap of the yellow milk mushroom is even, rounded, the center is depressed, funnel-shaped.
The yellow mushroom grows in coniferous forests, on the soil, hides under the thickness of fallen leaves and needles, does not parasitize on tree trunks. It belongs to conditionally edible species, since when pressed on the plates, it releases bitter, caustic juice. During the cooking process, during heat treatment, this disadvantage can be eliminated.
The period of harvesting mushrooms coincides with the period of fruiting pigs ear-shaped – from mid-July to the end of September. Mushroom pickers should carefully inspect each mushroom so as not to take a poisonous specimen into the basket.
The ear-shaped pig is similar to oyster mushrooms. These fungi also parasitize on the trunks of weak, diseased trees, stumps, deadwood, and have a flattened, depressed and smooth cap, shaped like an auricle. They also grow in large families, like the Panus Tapinella. But the color of oyster mushrooms is light or dark gray, they have a thin, short white leg. Oyster mushrooms are smaller than ear-shaped pigs, their cap diameter does not exceed 10 cm. Oyster mushrooms appear later, from the end of September, they can bear fruit until early December. These mushrooms are edible, they are currently grown commercially.
Application
Toxins contained in the pulp of the pig ear are not destroyed by soaking and repeated heat treatment, if they enter the human body, they are not excreted, slowly poisoning it. The first signs of intoxication may appear 3-4 days after consumption. In this regard, the culture is classified as a poisonous species, it is forbidden to collect and eat it.
Poisoning pig ear
When ingested, Panus-shaped tapenella causes vomiting, diarrhea, and heart rhythm disturbances. The use in large quantities leads to impaired vision, breathing, causes pulmonary edema and acute renal failure. Symptoms of poisoning may not appear immediately, but a few days after eating pig ear. When used with alcohol, the fungus can cause hallucinations, and later – drug addiction. Since 1993, the State Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision of the Federation has banned the use of all types of pigs for food.
Conclusion
The eared pig is an inedible agaric that parasitizes the trunks and rhizomes of dead trees. Eating it leads to serious poisoning, in large quantities it can be fatal. In this regard, it is recommended to abandon the collection of all types of pigs.